Please Don't Cry
by PazaakGirl
Summary: She was three when she and her closest friend met a boy in the hospital. He was six when he became an orphan before being adopted into a loving family. They were best friends their whole lives. Until lives needed saving, and feelings began to change.
1. Prologue Part 1

She was three years old when her and her closest friend met a boy in the hospital. He was six when he became an orphan before being adopted into a loving family. They were best friends their whole lives. Until lives needed saving, and feelings began to change. Slight AU with alterations to the canon storylines.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sailor Moon but I love it to death.

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Prologue Part 1 – The way it all began.**

* * *

Twelve years ago, in a hospital in the city of Tokyo, Japan

"Why are you crying?"

The six-year-old boy shifted his bowed head upward to see a little girl with blonde hair and the largest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen stare up at her in concern.

She was small, and if he stood from the bed he currently sat on, he was sure that she wouldn't even reach up to his stomach. Her blonde hair was pulled up into two buns on her head, and he mused that they looked frighteningly similar to a pair of odangos. In her hand was a small bunch of roses and baby's breath wrapped in silver foil with a red ribbon tied around the base. She leaned next to the bed, her head resting on the not-so-soft-but-still-comfortable mattress. After a short moment of curious observation he realized he was no longer shedding tears.

"W-who are you?" he questioned timidly.

Immediately she stood upright and curtsied, saying the line her friend had told her to say when introducing herself. "My name is Tsukino Usagi. I am three years old." He raised an eyebrow in surprise at how well she could speak for someone who was three years old. She cocked her head to the side inquisitively as a small smile crossed her face. "What's your name?"

Taken aback by the adorable little girl before him he hesitantly spoke the name that was his. The name that the doctors said he went by. "… Mamoru, Chiba Mamoru. I am six years old."

She pouted. "No fair! You're old!" He laughed softly at the complaint, and squeezed her bun. "Nice to meet you, Odango Atama." She giggled at the nickname and he grinned, surprised at how easily she made him smile. Then they noticed someone was standing behind her and she frowned slightly as someone bopped her softly on the head. Turning around she saw a boy towering over her with sandy blonde hair and a cheeky grin on his face. She jumped up in delight and squealed. "MOTOKI-KUN!"

Mamoru looked up at the newcomer and found his gaze returned. The boy extended a hand to him and smiled. "I'm Furuhata Motoki. I'm six, same as you." Mamoru found he was returning the smile and took his hand in a shake.

* * *

Kenji sat in the chair in the hallway, watching with amusement as her daughter spoke with the boy in room 305. He had noticed him sitting on the bed alone, a sad look on his features, and found his heart crying for the boy. He had known exactly what would cheer him up. 

"_Otou-san, when do we get to see Okaa-san?"_

"_Not yet, Usagi-chan, your brother hasn't arrived yet." The man chuckled as she pouted in the cutest way only Usagi could achieve. Looking up from his novel he looked into the open doorway to see a boy all by himself, not appearing to be in the happiest mood. Understandable, seeing the hospital wasn't the brightest of places, but he seemed even more downcast than a child who was admitted in the hospital ward should. Smiling, he looked down at his daughter and whispered to her ear._

"_Why don't you talk to that boy in there? He looks like he needs a friend."_

Her daughter had seen the boy and immediately complied, and Kenji had watched as she spoke to him, then as Furuhata Motoki peered in, wondering where his little friend went. When the young boy saw her he had gone to join the conversation.

The presence of the boy was soon to be followed with the arrival of his parents, Sonomi and Yamazaki Furuhata, whom Kenji greeted with a smile.

"What's the news?" Yamazaki questioned to his old friend.

"Any moment now," Kenji replied. "How about Unazuki? Is her fever going down?"

Sonomi nodded. "It seems our daughter caught the twenty-four hour bug. Poor thing, at such a young age, she couldn't stop crying, she was so sick." Unazuki was a year younger than Usagi. "Kenji-san, where is Motoki-chan and Usagi-chan?"

He pointed to the room before them and they peered in to see two blondes and a raven-haired boy laughing, though the latter not as much as the former.

Yamazaki watched in sorrow. "The happiness just doesn't reach his eyes… I wonder what happened."

"This is Chiba Mamoru's room, isn't it?" The three spun their heads around to see a male doctor with square-rimmed glasses and a clipboard approach them. "He was in a car accident not too long ago. His father died instantly, and his mother was able to hang on until the ambulance reached the hospital. It's a miracle he's alive."

"The poor boy!" Sonomi gasped. "For him to go through that, the memory must be haunting…"

"I would agree with you there, but what makes it more disheartening is that Mamoru has lost his memory." He smiled sadly at the three pairs of shocked eyes. "He has no memory of who he is, or his parents, or his life up until the crash. He's told me the only thing he remembers was the night drive they were having and the car losing control. After that, he's taken to not saying much at all." Looking into the room, he commented gratefully, "it's good to see him talking to other people after all that. He usually stayed away from most of the children in the ward."

They watched the events in room 305 continue, until a nurse came running down the hallway to notify Kenji that his wife was giving birth. But by then, the Furuhatas had already reached a mutual decision of where to go from here as they observed the three interact.

* * *

Usagi shrieked as the two boys continued to mercilessly tickle her. Mamoru had needed some persuading, but after gazing on the small girl's grinning face and hearing her jovial laughter echo through his ears, he realized if he didn't help his new friend it would disappear and a part of his heart would die with the laughter should the tickling cease. 

Eventually the two boys settled down and Usagi wiped the tears of laughter from her face. She gazed at the boy she had seen crying a few minutes before to see a boy with a soft smile on his face, but one that did not reach his sad, sapphire eyes. "What's wrong, Mamoru-kun?"

He looked at the little angel and felt the curve of his lips straighten out as he voice his reason for quiet despair. "You two will be leaving soon, and I'll be alone again."

Motoki patted his back comfortingly. "My parents and her parents will let us visit you again, Mamoru-kun."

Usagi nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And we'll get to play again! My otou-san said that we have to come here again later for an exa-examimi-exammmmimashom!"

"A check-up, Usagi-chan," Motoki supplied helpfully as the little girl nodded, giggling nervously at her attempt to say a really long word to impress her friends.

"That's right! And then we'll visit you and we'll have fun!"

Mamoru stared in disbelief at the two that he was fast becoming friends with, finding that he didn't want them to even leave the hospital. Feeling the tears coming again, even after swearing to himself that he didn't want to cry in front of his new friends, he managed to choke out a small "thank you".

Motoki frowned. "What's wrong, Mamoru-kun?"

Slowly Mamoru told them what the doctors said about the accident, how he lost his parents, his memory, and how alone he was now that his parents left him.

Usagi sat up on the bed and hugged him fiercely. "You're not alone, Mamoru-kun. Your okaa-san and otou-san are with you right now, we just can't see them. That's what my okaa-san said: when people die, they visit their loved ones but stay invisibaba…ble." She frowned with the word Motoki-kun taught her. "And they talk to you even when you can't hear them, and hug you and kiss you even when you can't feel them."

Knowing that what she was saying wasn't really making logical sense, but still lifted the dead weight in his heart, Mamoru returned the embrace as he began to cry. Motoki put an arm around the boy his age and smiled proudly at his Usagi-imouto-chan, for both the fact that she had said such nice words to Mamoru, and the vocabulary she was developing, which was mighty impressive for a three-year-old.

She pulled away softly and continued. "Besides, today my okaa-san is giving birth. I'm going to be a big sister! And today we met you, so today is a happy day! Please don't cry, Mamoru-kun." She pulled a thornless rose out from the bouquet and offered it to him, and he took it with gratitude as she kissed him on the cheek.

The three parted later on with promises that they would see each other again soon, not knowing what the Furuhatas had been discussing with the Tsukinos and the doctor supervising Mamoru that day.

* * *

Just an idea I got a little while back. I'm not sure how the Japanese is really spelt, but I think I got it right, so let me know if something's wrong. And the Prologue is in two parts, I know, but I need it to be to establish growing up before the story gets going at their ages during the anime/manga. Sticking with manga ages though. 

Please R&R!

- PazaakGirl


	2. Prologue Part 2

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Prologue Part 2 – Broken castles and starry nights.**

* * *

Eight years ago, in the backyard of the Tsukino household

"Matte! Matte!" The little blonde of seven years cried out in annoyance as the two boys of ten ran from her, loud with laughter. A boy of four was sleeping on the trampoline, as was a girl of six, undisturbed by the racket that ensued around them.

The boys ran deftly through the toys and play equipment that was scattered around the yard, and looked at each other knowingly, the kindred spirits they were. They slowed down, allowing their chaser to catch up before running off in opposite directions, laughing as she shrieked in frustration before deciding to chase the one who had called out her dreaded – yet loved – nickname.

"Mamoru-kun, wait!" she cried, and he turned to poke a tongue out at her. Turning back, however, he realized it was a mistake as he tripped over the basketball and landed in the sand pit. She jumped on top of him in victory and heard a small "oof!" from her landing pad before looking down into his eyes sheepishly, grinning.

The boy glared at her, but with a hint of mischief in his eyes, and knowing that look her smile faltered as she began to get off before he exacted revenge.

Too late.

Mamoru grabbed her and rolled on top of her, pinning her down before he began to trigger the "laughing buttons", as he and Motoki called them. He was rewarded with shrieks of laughter as Usagi twitched underneath, desperately trying to evade his fingers. Motoki joined in, and they continued to tickle her relentlessly until they all lay flat on the sand, exhausted from the running and the laughter which had caused their stomachs to hurt.

Tsukino Ikuko smiled at the three best friends as she picked up her son from the trampoline. Since the Furuhatas had adopted Mamoru the week after Shingo was born, the three became inseparable, making the four adults all the more thankful that they lived next door to each other. Her heart had melted at the change they witnessed within Chiba Mamoru, for his eyes had the same spark of joy that his best friends shared with him, and he laughed much more often. She knew there was still loneliness in his heart for not having his biological parents with him, but Usagi and Motoki had made sure he was never without friendship.

"Minna! Come in for lunch!" Ikuko called, as Sonomi joined her to retrieve her daughter from the trampoline. Usagi was the first to jump up, kicking sand into the two boys, and they sputtered as she shrieked and apologised profusely, only to be rewarded with another merciless assault of fingers. Eventually the laughter had expended the last of her energy and she yawned, her eyes daring to droop shut. Motoki chuckled and bent down, and she clambered on, letting him give her a piggy back into the house while she fell asleep.

* * *

The two families had decided to go on a picnic at the beach for the last day of the summer holidays. Excited that Shingo would be starting school, the four parents chatted actively about the youngest of the five, watching their children make a sand castle near the shoreline.

"How's Shingo looking for the start of school?" Yamazaki asked as he passed the cans of soda and root beer around.

"Well he seems excited," Kenji commented as he accepted a root beer. "I think he felt left out when they were all at school."

Ikuko laughed as she watched Motoki and Mamoru throw sand balls at each other. "I hope he grows up like your boys do. They're always having so much fun."

"Well it's not hard to imagine so. Sometimes I even mistake Usagi and Shingo as being my own children," Sonomi admitted. The four laughed in agreement.

Suddenly they heard a cry from their kids and they turned to see Usagi wailing in the way only she could do. Mamoru shouted angrily at two boys and chased after them with a plastic spade, while Unazuki and Motoki hugged the distraught girl. Shingo, not coherent of exactly why his onee-san was crying, looked instead at the sand castle which now had the east wall and moat destroyed. It was clear to the parents what had happened.

Mamoru walked back to the group after he gave up running after the two mischief makers and bent down to Usagi's height with pleading in his eyes, obviously asking her not to cry. The sobbing eventually subsided and the two older boys held her for a moment longer, glaring at the two who ruined their castle.

Watching as they slowly began repairing the damage to their fortress, Yamazaki surveyed the three adults. "Who wants to make a bet on which boy she ends up with?"

Sonomi and the Tsukinos stared at him in initial shock, before grinning conspiratorially. Sonomi was the first to answer. "Mamoru, no doubt."

"Sonomi! How could you say that?! Where's your loyalty to poor Motoki?" Yamazaki said in mock astonishment, before bursting in laughter.

"I guess that means you think Motoki," Ikuko commented, and Yamazaki only laughed harder in agreement. "Well I agree with Sonomi. Have you seen them together?!"

"Well we see _all three_ together, Ikuko, for every second of their lives," Yamazaki reminded her. "It's hard to really tell, but I think Motoki, if only for the fact that she's known him longer."

Kenji frowned. "Well I think neither." He stated matter-of-factly.

This time they stared at Kenji in surprise. "You think she'll get together with _neither_ of them?" Sonomi queried.

"Yep." He scowled darkly. "There's no way I am comfortable with them spending time with her every second of her life if they intend to marry her one day."

The four sat in silence briefly before bursting into laughter at the absurd thought. Kenji staggered over in laughter before betting on Motoki. After their bets were settled they decided on the prize to the winners.

"Only one more question," Sonomi whispered.

"What's that, love?" Yamazaki asked.

"When's the wedding?" And with that the four could only smile as they watched their children.

* * *

Unazuki and Usagi watched from the large bean bags as their brothers played with the Nintendo. Unazuki had pleaded with Usagi to show her how to put her hair up in the same buns as her, so Usagi had been brushing Unazuki's hair for a few minutes before demonstrating how to do her hair. Watching Unazuki try on her own she corrected her when the twists were too loose or not enough.

Mamoru grumbled in shame at the fact that four-year-old Shingo had beaten him significantly in Super Smash Brothers and turned to his best friend, only to stare in complete distress at the sight before him. "Unazuki-chan! What have you done to your hair?!"

Motoki turned to see the seven and six-year-old with identical hairstyles. "It's two Usagi-chans!" he laughed.

Usagi grinned at the dismay of her best friend and asked with complaint what was wrong with Unazuki having the same hairstyle as her. To that Mamoru could only sigh, "I thought you were the only Odango Atama."

That comment earned him a bop to the head with a hairbrush and he grinned as she huffed in annoyance.

* * *

"Thank Kami for Fridays," Motoki commented, and his two best friends could only murmur in assent.

At the beginning of the summer holidays when the boys turned eight, Kenji and Yamazaki had built a club house in the backyard. It was constructed such that it crossed over the division between the two houses where the fence would have normally blocked off the area, so that their kids could get into it at any time. The three lay on the large bed in the far corner of the room with Usagi in the middle, looking at the stars through the ceiling window. Often they slept in the club house when they wanted to play together, and the end of the school week warranted one of those nights.

They chatted about the teachers at their elementary school, and what had happened at lunch. Occasionally Usagi and Motoki would argue about something and the three would launch into a huge debate over little things like games and sports.

Motoki had been the first to fall asleep, leaving Usagi and Mamoru to talk as quietly as they could. Mamoru pointed at the moon in the sky. "I can't wait 'til we see a full moon."

Usagi nodded. "My otou-san said that when we see one, he'll bring out the telescope and we'll see it really, really close!"

"Shhh, Usagi-chan, you'll wake Motoki-kun." The girl piped down and covered her mouth, eyes wide in apology. He chuckled and pulled the hand away from her face and pressed her nose like a button. "Odango." She frowned in mock anger before giggling softly at the name. She always pretended to hate the name but couldn't help but laugh at it. He always seemed so cheeky when he called her that. She loved it. It was a far cry from what he was like when they first met him.

"Mamoru-kun…" she stopped, not knowing how to ask him what she wanted.

He looked at her in amusement. "Yes, Usagi-chan?"

"Do you miss your parents?"

She couldn't miss the hint of sadness in his eyes, but he smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Yes, I do, but not as much as before."

"Really?" she asked softly.

"Yeah. I have Motoki-kun, who's like a brother to me. Well, he _is_ my brother, I guess," he added thoughtfully, chuckling at the giggle he earned from his little friend. "And I have Unazuki-chan, and Sonomi-san and Yamazaki-san. And I have you."

Usagi looked up from her position and kissed him on the cheek. "I like seeing you smile, Mamoru-kun. I'm sad when you're sad, so when you're happy, I'm happy too."

Mamoru's smile grew at her words and the sadness left his eyes as he watched the little girl in his arms fall asleep before he followed suit.


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N:**Thank you for the reviews! I was worried that Usagi and the boys spoke way too maturely for their young ages, but it seems to be liked.

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 1 – The Chiba Mamoru and Furuhata Motoki Fanclub.**

* * *

The present, in Moto Azabu High School

_Finally._

Hearing that life-saving bell Mamoru began to pack his things up. It never did sit well with him to have a test during the last period of school. He'd have to sit there and do the test and half an hour later he'd wait and wait for the end of the time limit and entertain himself in silence. He heard a grumble from behind him and knew that Motoki was annoyed at how quickly his adopted brother could answer a 100 question biology quiz. Evidently, Motoki had finished the last question he was stumped on just in time.

The boys left the classroom, Mamoru glancing left and right in what seemed to be trepidation, in Motoki's eyes. "What're you looking for, Mamoru?"

He frowned at the suspiciously empty hallway. "The stampede I have been avoiding all day."

"Nani?"

"MAMORU-SAN!"

He groaned as a red-headed leech attached itself to his arm and effectively cut off all circulation from his elbow down. Motoki's left brow rose in question and he had that gleam in his eye that clearly said 'another one?'

"Konno-san, could you loosen your grip a little? I can't feel my arm." Mamoru asked the girl as politely as possible, though his eyes said it all: he'd like nothing more than to run away from his living attachment. She reluctantly let go and giggled in that high-pitched, over the top way. Motoki chuckled and swore he heard his brother mutter something disturbingly like 'worse than Odango'.

Excited chatter could be heard from down the corridor and Mamoru groaned in exasperation. "Can we _please_ get out of here, Motoki?"

The blonde nodded and they headed down the corridor and out of school, with, to Mamoru's displeasure, a pack of girls giggling and squealing and chatting unmistakably to _them_.

"Mamoru-san, your speech in Ancient History today was sooo interesting!"

"Motoki-san, are you busy this afternoon?"

"Motoki-san, thank you for all your help with Calculus today!"

"Mamoru-san, do you want to study together on Friday?"

"Kami-sama, Motoki, you would think we were the Pied Pipers or something, with this pack behind us," the raven-haired boy whispered.

His brother grinned and shrugged. "It's amusing, in some ways, don'tcha think?"

"MOTOKI! What about Reika, huh?"

His brother blushed at the mention of his girlfriend. Granted, he received an ear bashing from her one day when she caught him playing nice and flirting to the 'Chiba Mamoru and Furuhata Motoki Fan Club'. Thankfully she was taking after school classes that afternoon, so he was saved from yet another embarrassing encounter with the not-so-nice side of Reika.

The girls had followed the two seventeen-year-olds, unknowingly towards a particular Junior High School in Juuban. Mamoru had Konno Sara clinging to his arm again and grumbled at how much she invaded his personal space. The complaints fell on deaf ears, however, as the girls continued to chat and giggle animatedly, and Mamoru swore he saw stars in their eyes.

"My, my, aren't we popular today, Chiba Mamoru?"

Motoki grinned and waved at a blonde teenager with her long ankle-length hair done up in two buns and her two red-headed friends, one with a green bow in her short hair and the other with a high ponytail. Mamoru smiled for the first time that afternoon and walked towards his best friend and sister.

"Unazuki-chan! Usagi-chan! How was school?" He asked, somehow releasing himself from the death grip around his arm.

Unazuki laughed and elbowed the blonde beside her. "She got hit by the volleyball in PE today."

"Unazuki! You didn't have to tell them that!" Usagi hissed, her cheeks tinted pink, and the four laughed. The fan club behind the two brothers stared in curiosity at the sight that suddenly had their objects of affection's complete attention.

The other red-haired teenager supplied her own gossip. "Umino's also been trying to catch her attention as well. He wouldn't stop hanging around us at lunch."

"Naru-chan!!!"

Mamoru laughed. "Haha! My poor Odango's got a stalker!" He watched as the girl puffed up in anger, then swatted him on the shoulder before crossing her arms and turning her back to him. He only chuckled as he held her by the waist and turned her around. She immediately spun around again and huffed at him.

"Oh come on, Usagi-chan, don't be mad at me."

"Then stop making fun of me."

"But it's amusing, Odango."

"Not for _me_, baka."

A collective gasp was heard from behind Motoki as the seniors stared at shock at the fourteen-year-old. "How dare you talk to Mamoru-san like that!" Mamoru only rolled his eyes and pleaded they would go away soon.

"Sugimasen, Usagi-chan. Let me buy you a milkshake."

The three girls laughed and Naru shook her head. "Furuhata-sama _owns_ the arcade, Mamoru-san. You all get free food and drinks whenever you want. You can't fool her."

"Speaking of _which_," Motoki interjected, "I'm going to be late for work. Can we take this argument elsewhere? Like to the arcade?"

Mamoru pulled Usagi into a hug from behind and leaned in to look at her face. She still faced adamantly away from him, though the anger was long gone from her face. "Forgive me, Usagi-chan?"

She smiled. "Hai, Mamoru." Then, bringing her voice down to a whisper, she looked at him mischievously. "But you owe me."

He merely chuckled and the five left for the Crown Arcade, unaware of the group of nine girls who were glaring at Mamoru's best friend, a little junior high school student who gained his undivided attention with absolutely no effort at all.

* * *

"So, girls swarming over you adoringly aside, how did your test go?"

The upper-classman glared at his best friend as she smiled innocently. She loved how uncomfortable he was with his classmates, but understood why they fawned over him like so. She had seen her best friends grow up into two very attractive men, and she could imagine them with hearts in their eyes at Mamoru's smooth, black hair and intense azure eyes. One flash of his charming smile and they would swoon in unison and sigh in perfect harmony. She giggled at the image. _Oh, too bad he's taken, girls_.

Mamoru frowned. "What's so funny, Odango?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all… so how did it go?"

"He passed with flying colours, as usual," Motoki chuckled as he passed the group their drinks from behind the counter. "Mamoru getting a hundred percent in Biology is like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west." He took the cloth and began to clean some of the glasses he had just washed. "So, how about you girls? How was the algebra test?"

Naru took a coke and sighed. "That Umino… he flaunts a ninety-five in front of us and complains he didn't study."

"Ooh, a nerdy stalker, Usagi-chan," Motoki commented.

Usagi giggled through the straw of her shake. "Naru got eighty-seven."

"Well you still beat me!" Naru replied. "Even if it was only by two marks."

Usagi grinned. That was the benefit of having the two smartest guys in their high school as your best friends. Thank Kami they tutored her and brought her their competitive streak for school. Because of them, Usagi studied hard and did pretty well in class. She could imagine the scene if they didn't… she would stagger down the streets of Tokyo with an 'admirable' thirty, get depressed, and crumple the test paper, throwing it behind her and having it land on some poor person's head.

"Unazuki-chan, I hear you made the tennis team," Mamoru commented in approval, and Unazuki nodded enthusiastically.

"I still can't believe it!" she said as she drank the last of her lemonade.

"Neither can I," Motoki agreed, "back when you were little you klutzed out almost as much as Usa- OW!"

He winced and rubbed the spot on his arm that Usagi had punched in frustration, and the girl glared at him. Mamoru took that opportunity to steal her drink and take a large gulp of it.

"HEY! Mamoru, that's mine! I don't care if you like chocolate; you don't steal people's drinks! Go back to your coffee!" Mamoru laughed and avoided Usagi's attempts to poke him in the ribs, and they fought playfully until the sound of the bells jingling about the door rang through their ears.

A girl with long, straight, brown hair walked in wearing the girl's uniform of Motoki and Mamoru's high school. She was slender, and had striking green eyes. A few touches of make up were evident on her features, and she sported an expensive Cartier watch. A few of the high school boys turned and stared in approval, but she ignored them. She smiled at the group seated at the counter and waved.

Mamoru's eyes darted to the student and put Usagi's hands down. "Excuse me," he spoke, standing and meeting the girl.

Naru stared in surprise. "Who is that, Usagi-chan?" She turned to her friend to see Usagi watch the upper-classman kiss the newcomer on the cheek and Usagi was smiling softly at them. Naru looked at the Furuhatas. "Unazuki-chan? Motoki-san? A little help here?"

Motoki was the first to answer. "That's Sato Meiko…"

"… She's Mamoru's girlfriend." Usagi finished.

* * *

HA! You thought Usagi and Mamoru were together, ne? Bwahahaha! With both boys taken, who will Usagi end up with? What happens to the bet? Did their parents decide on the outcome if she doesn't go out with either of them? You'll just have to find out!

I promise that the Sailor Moon aspect will come in soon. If this is going a tad too slowly, let me know!

- PazaakGirl


	4. Chapter 2

**A/N:**Please let me know if I have the junior year wrong, I'm meaning the second last year of high school in Japan, and I think High school is three years, so I might be using the wrong term.

I know I made Usagi intelligent and good at school, but I think with two older-brother figures like Mamoru and Motoki they'd have an influence on her. I think she got away with slacking at school in the canon because she was the oldest. No one to make impressions on her, y'know? Enjoy!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 2 – A girlfriend and a strange visitor.**

* * *

Mamoru and Meiko had met each other during the last few months of their junior year in High School, and after meeting up every now and then during the school holidays he had asked her to be his girlfriend. Usagi smiled at the memory of when he was getting ready for their first official date; Unazuki and Motoki had fought relentlessly about what he should wear.

"_Mamoru, I think this shirt should be good," Motoki advised, pulling out a sky-blue Polo shirt from his brother's closet. _

"_No, no, no! It's too light! It doesn't go with his eyes!" Unazuki complained._

"_Okay, imouto-chan, what's your opinion?" the blonde boy countered, and to that, Unazuki pulled out a white dress shirt from the far end of the wardrobe, where the more formal clothing was kept. Her brothers and Usagi sweatdropped. "He'll wear a tie, too!" the youngest of the four said in her defense._

"_They're going to a movie, Unazuki. He's not taking her to watch a matinee! How about this one, Mamoru?" Mamoru stared at the dark green T-shirt._

"_I didn't even know I owned that." Mamoru stated in surprise. "No, I can't wear that!" he swatted the apparel aside._

"_Baka!" his sister reprimanded. "Who in their right mind would wear _that_ colour?!"_

_The two siblings squabbled over an assortment of clothes and Mamoru groaned, still having nothing to dress himself in. Usagi laughed and patted him on the shoulder in sympathy. "Nervous, Mamoru-kun?"_

"_You know it, and these two aren't making it any easier… a little help here, Usagi-chan?"_

_She smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."_

_She pushed the bickering duo aside and rummaged through his clothes. Standing there in contemplation she pulled out a dark blue polo with white outlines on the collar, a black turtleneck sweater and khakis. Turning around she gazed at them for their opinion, and they nodded in approval. Motoki wouldn't have picked out the ensemble for himself, but it seemed to work on Mamoru._

_Mamoru smirked. "I should have asked you in the first place." To that his siblings found it prudent to smack him on the head simultaneously. "ITAI!"_

Mamoru and Meiko sat down and the upper-classman introduced his girlfriend to Naru. Meiko greeted her in a discretely sugary tone as she shook the girl's hand. Usagi and Meiko exchanged significant looks, unnoticed by the rest of the group. They chatted for a while before Usagi and Naru stood up. "Well, we're going to go to Osaka-san's shop. You coming, Unazuki?"

The thirteen-year-old shook her head. "Can't. Meeting someone soon."

They parted ways and the two teenagers left for OSA-P to look at the jewellery on sale. "I still can't believe Mamoru-san has a girlfriend," Naru commented on the way to her house. She found it a waste that such a gorgeous guy was no longer available. "Three months… he's been going out with her for that long?"

"Hai, but Motoki-san and Reika-san have been going out much longer." Usagi replied. "They've been a couple for over a year already."

Naru walked silently next to her friend in thought. "Something wrong?" Usagi asked.

"Usagi-chan, do you think Sato-san is good for Mamoru-san?"

"Why do you ask that, Naru-chan?"

She stopped in front of the window of the jewellery store and faced the blonde Odango. "Didn't you feel that she was a little bit… fake?"

Usagi smiled sadly. It was true; Usagi knew that Meiko wasn't as demure and reserved as she acted around Mamoru. She had witnessed her darker side once the week before, when Mamoru wasn't around, a time when two kids and accidentally splashed her clothes with water. She shivered at the memory. That was one girl you didn't want to get on the bad side of. She told Naru of the encounter. "I know she's a little spoiled at some times, and she's temperamental. But if Mamoru likes her, and wants to go out with her, then I support that. I don't have to like her."

"But you're his best friend," Naru argued, but to that Usagi held a hand to stop her.

"I may be his best friend, but it's his life. Motoki, Unazuki, his parents and I have no right to interfere with what he wants to do." She sighed. "I just want to see him happy, you know?"

Naru laughed. "You're too good a friend, sometimes, Usagi-chan."

* * *

Usagi lay on her bed, fully ready to drift into sleep. Shingo had pleaded with her to play a few rounds of Sailor V with him, and she relented. But with the test they had that day, the talk with Naru and the games, she felt exhausted. _Funny, all that energy that Motoki-kun says I have seems to have disappeared._ She wondered if the boys were still at the arcade. _Probably with their girlfriends… lucky them. I wish I had a boyfriend._

She drifted off into sleep, her dreams a memory of that day she saw Meiko in the park by herself. There was one thing that Usagi never mentioned to Naru about it, in case she told Mamoru.

"_Meiko-san!"_

"_Why hello there, Usagi-chan," Meiko replied, smiling a little too sweetly. Usagi bit back the comment she was about to say about not having to pretend around her for Mamoru's sake. Usagi sat down on the bench next to her and asked how her day was. They chatted for a while amiably, but it wasn't to last._

"_So what brings you to the park, Usagi-chan?" Meiko asked the blonde teenager._

_Usagi shrugged. "Nothing, really. I came here all the time when I was a kid, I guess I just find myself here whenever I wander aimlessly." She turned to the high-school student. "Are you meeting Mamoru-kun here?"_

"_Yes, I am," Meiko replied. Her smile faded a little at the mention of Mamoru by the girl. Usagi frowned._

"_Is something wrong?" she asked the senior._

"_I was wondering…" Meiko began, the sugary tone growing a little serious, "if anything was going on between you and Mamoru-san."_

_Usagi burst into a fit of laughter. "Why do you ask that?"_

"_Well, you two are very close, aren't you?" _

_Usagi nodded, still giggling. "Of course. He's my best friend."_

_She didn't realize in her naïveté what Meiko was getting at, until she had to state it bluntly. "Usagi-chan, I'm asking if you are involved with him."_

_That only caused Usagi to laugh a little harder. "Ow, my stomach…" she looked up at Mamoru's girlfriend. "Mamoru-kun is just my friend; a good friend, but nothing more than that."_

"_So there's nothing going on between you, is there?" Meiko leaned in a little closer, a suspicious glint in her eyes. "Usagi-chan, I don't know if I should believe you or not. Even as best friends, you two are close. A little too close," she added in a whisper._

_Usagi found herself being stared down by a glare, and she swore Meiko would pounce on her if it wasn't for a splash of water that caused the older girl to shriek._

"_MY DRESS!" She looked up and glared at two boys who had water pistols. It seemed one had an aim that wasn't quite up to scratch. "How could you ruin my dress? I bought this from Calvin Klein in New York! And my shoes! You brats!" Usagi swore she could see steam coming from her ears as the girl continued to screech in anger, a high pitched tone which rivaled her own. She exhaled in relief, however, for the fact that she was no longer interrogating her about her relationship with her boyfriend._

"_Relax, lady, it's just water," one of the boys answered, which only caused her to complain more overdramatically than before. The boys looked at Usagi briefly and, from the warning look on Usagi's face, decided to high tail it out of there. Meiko stood there huffing in anger and Usagi rolled her eyes grinning at the woman's distress, the tension and questions between them forgotten as Usagi helped her clean up._

Usagi giggled in her sleep at the memory of Meiko's angered face when a weight that landed forcefully on her stomach awoke her. She shrieked, sitting upright. "SHINGO! Didn't I tell you to knock before you –"

What greeted her was not a sandy-haired boy but a black cat with what seemed to be a crescent-shaped bald spot on her forehead. Usagi found herself gazed upon by striking red eyes which looked over her in assessment.

"W-w-where did you come from, kitty?" she asked timidly, still taken aback by the feline's sudden appearance.

"I've finally found you, Sailor Moon," the cat replied.

Usagi's eyes widened, dumbstruck. _That… that… that cat t-ta-ta…_

"NANI?!?" she shrieked, before promptly fainting.

* * *

And finally, Luna appears! Meiko has a few faults, it seems. Will Mamoru find out? Will he care? Will Meiko let go of the suspicions against Usagi? Find out!

- PazaakGirl


	5. Chapter 3

**A/N:**Heya! I've been summarizing the chapters of my story, writing the basic plot of each chapter that I'm going to write, and I figure this is actually going to be a really long story! But I want it to be, otherwise the important aspects of the story are underdeveloped; they're too intricate to be squashed into twenty chapters at the least. Sailor Moon, the Dark Kingdom, girlfriends, boyfriends, next door neighbours and talking cats… it all contributes to the burning question in us all: who gets Usagi? (laughs). So I hope those of you reading this as I post can bear with the length and stick with me 'til the end! And as for chapter length… it's going to fluctuate; it depends on where it feels good for me to end the chapter: climaxes, conclusions, suspense… you name it! Enjoy!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 3 – The Sailor-suited Soldier of Justice.**

* * *

_I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming…_

She opened her eyes to see the black cat staring in what seemed to be disappointment. She pinched herself and winced.

_I'M NOT!_

"Are you done?" The feline inquired.

Usagi nodded, heart still threatening to pop out of her chest. _Stay there!_ She told it. "Who are you? How can you talk? Am I delusional?"

The cat purred. "I assure you, as crazy as you're appearing to me, you are not having delusions. My name is Luna, and I come to tell you that you are the chosen one."

"Huh? 'The chosen one'? That sounds like a game or some movie about an ancient Religion and a prophecy that one will bring balance to the ancient power… or something like that." She could hear a light bulb go off in her head. "This is a prank, right? Motoki and Shingo are making me believe you can actually talk to me! You're a toy, right?" Usagi picked up the cat and started searching its fur. "You sure _feel_ real… where's the batteries? OUCH!"

Huffing at the teenager Luna pounced out of her arms and shook her head at the girl, who was currently blowing at the claw marks on her arm. "Listen to me. I have come to you because you are the one chosen to be Sailor Moon, the Senshi of Justice."

"Sailor Moon?" Usagi repeated in curiosity.

"Sailor Moon. A thousand years ago there existed an era known as the Silver Millennium. It reigned for a thousand years, until forces from the Dark Kingdom destroyed its peace and harmony. The central kingdom on the Moon was completely destroyed by Queen Beryl and her minions, and my Queen, Serenity, died, but not before defeating enemy by the power she possessed. A millennium later, however, those evil forces have returned, this time to conquer Earth. You, Sailor Moon, are the only person who can stop this evil!"

Usagi sat there in silence, letting it all sink it. _Dark Kingdom… conquer… stop them. _"Whoa, okay there, kitty, I don't know what you're talking about. You're asking a fourteen-year-old to stop some supernatural forces from taking over the world? That's preposterous! I'm no soldier! I can't just suddenly decide to kick these guys' asses when I have absolutely no special powers of my own! I'm no Sailor Moon, I'm Tsukino Usagi, a teenage klutz who loves arcade games and survives through school."

"There's no doubt about it, Usagi; you are Sailor Moon." Luna somersaulted into the air and produced a golden brooch with the crescent moon on its centre piece. "And right now, you are needed. The enemy has struck, and only you can – are you even listening to me?!"

Usagi, upon seeing the brooch, picked it up and raced to her mirror, admiring the pretty trinket. When she placed it on her school bow, however, words entered her mind, those which she somehow knew to say.

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

The brooch glowed and a flash of light was emitted, and Usagi felt ribbons surround her and cover her hands, feet and torso. A tiara formed on her head and brooches and hair pins appeared in her hair. A mask adorned her face.

She opened her eyes to see her reflection posing and wearing a sailor suit with very, _very_ short skirt. "AHHH! Who the hell designed this?! This is even shorter than Sailor V's fuku! Do I stop the enemy by flashing them or something? This is just _crying_ for perverts to come running at me! Couldn't it be something less skimpy? And my HAIR!" she shrieked as she realized the change in horror "It's SILVER! Where's my beautiful blonde hair?!"

Luna opened her mouth to respond, but the brooches in her odangos glowed red and Usagi could hear her friend's voice in the room calling for help. Her sight was distorted and she saw OSA-P and Naru being strangled by some creature she had never seen before. "What the?" Usagi pulled off the mask and saw the scene play out in the lens. "Naru's in trouble!"

* * *

"I love May." Meiko leaned on Mamoru's shoulder in a booth at the arcade and closed her eyes. "My birthday in two weeks. Perfect weather. And a perfect boyfriend, of course." 

Mamoru chuckled as he flipped the page of his book. Frowning, Meiko looked up and pouted. "Mamoru-san, don't you ever put your books down?"

He looked down at his girlfriend and smiled at the face she was making. "Your face will freeze like that if you keep that up for longer."

"Mamoru, I'm serious. We've been going out for three months and we don't talk all that much… don't you think you can leave the books for a little while?" She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I have to admit I still don't know a lot about you."

Feeling guilty, he set the book down on the table. "Gomen, Meiko-san. I don't really like to talk about myself that much."

"It's not just that, Mamoru. You're too proper and gentleman-like sometimes. Don't you just want to let loose once in a while, forget we're in high school and have a little fun?"

He sighed. "I'm not used to just opening up and being outrageous, you know."

"You open up to Usagi-chan," she countered, but he brushed the accusation away.

"That's different and you know that, Meiko-san. I grew up with her. Of course I'd be more open to her. It would be weird if after thirteen years I was still polite and reserved around her." He put an arm around his girlfriend. "Let's talk then, if that's what you want. How was the club meeting?"

"It was great! We're organising a magazine that gets issued out every month. I'm in charge of the fashion articles, of course…"

An hour later Mamoru began to feel a throbbing in his head. He groaned and cradled his head as the pain got worse.

"Mamoru-san? Daijoubu desu ka?"

"I'm fine," he replied quickly. "I think I need to rest."

"Oh… okay." She pouted.

"Don't look at me like that, Meiko-san, onegai. I… I don't think I feel too good."

She rubbed his arm soothingly. "You better get home."

They parted ways and Mamoru started on his way home when the searing pain intensified. He yelled in pain and felt something consuming him, before he lost all coherence.

* * *

Sailor Moon arrived at the OSA-P jewellery store to hear screams from within. She rushed inside and almost screamed at the sight before her. The creature looked even uglier than what she saw through her mask. 

"Ugh! Talk about wrinkles! And look at that ugly dress, it's like she took a pair of hedge clippers to it and went rampant!"

"Usagi! There's no time for jokes! All the customers are drained of energy. You have to stop the youma!" Luna hissed in admonishment.

"A 'youma'? Is that what that ugly thing is called? What a lame name for such a repulsive sight," she replied sarcastically.

"USAGI!"

"Okay, okay!"

Usagi took one of her winged pins and threw it at the youma, and it shrieked in pain as the pin impaled itself in its arm. The youma turned to face the direction the pin came from, its hollow eyes scanning the area.

The youma dropped its grasp on Naru. "Who's there?"

"I am!" Sailor Moon called from the entrance of the store. "For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

"Sailor Moon, eh?" the youma confirmed. "Never heard of you, and, fortunately, I won't have to ever again. Not fortunate for you, though. Die!" It raised its arms and the drained patrons of the stores rose, their eyes glazed but with malicious shadows as they attacked Sailor Moon.

Usagi began to panic._Oh, Kami… lots and lots of zombies! _She dodged the attacks but stumbled over her own feet in the process."Owww! Don't have a klutz attack now!" Usagi was completely surrounded by the zombies and she knew she was going to get it. She began to cry and the brooches in her hair glowed, amplifying the sound ten fold. The brainwashed customers clutched their ears in agony and the youma screamed.

"STOP THAT NOISE!" it screeched, and jumped to grab Sailor Moon, when a steel-tipped rose intercepted its path.

"Don't cry, Sailor Moon! This monster needs to be stopped! Only you can dispel its evil!"

Usagi looked up to see a man boasting a tuxedo, top hat and a white domino mask. A red and black cape was fixed to the jacket of the tuxedo. Ebony hair was hidden from underneath his hat and intense blue eyes deeper than the see watched her as she got to her feet. "Who… is that?" she questioned softly.

"Sailor Moon!" Luna called out. "Your tiara!"

Usagi stood up and glared at the cat incredulously. "What about it?"

"Use it to defeat the youma!"

She removed the tiara and it turned into a discus of energy. Swiftly she threw it at the youma shouting "Moon Tiara Action!"

The discus made contact and the youma screamed in pain before turning into ash. Sailor Moon looked up at the man who saved her. "Who are you?"

"My name is Tuxedo Kamen. I didn't know what to expect when I came here, but it seems I found something quite interesting." He stared into her inquisitive eyes and smiled. "I will be here to fight alongside you, Sailor Moon. Until we meet again." And with that he jumped off the window into the night.

"Wow… what a hottie," Usagi commented, unaware of the tugging at her skirt by a black feline, accompanied with "Sailor Moon! The civilians are waking up! Get your head out of the clouds!"

* * *

"And just when I thought that I was gonna die, she comes and saves the day! Sailor Moon! She came and destroyed that monster!" 

"Naru-chan, you shouldn't make things up like this."

"Unazuki! I'm NOT making it up! She's for real!"

The Tsukinos had met with the Furuhatas, Mamoru and Naru, and the latter was avidly describing the events of the evening before. "What's this all about?" Shingo inquired.

"She had her hair done up just like Usagi-chan's!" Naru shrieked, pointing at the aforementioned girl.

"Right, right, Naru," Mamoru consoled her. "We understand. You saw a superhero whose hairstyle Odango obviously copied ever since she was little, though we've never heard of her before."

"Sailor Moon?" Usagi asked, thankful that Naru didn't know it was actually her. "You were saved from some monster by – AHHH!"

The group winced as Usagi lost her balance, arms flailing about before crashing to the floor. "Owiee! That hurt!" Usagi complained, wailing.

From outside the arcade, a cat watched the scene grimly. She shook her head in dismay as she watched her new charge fall to the floor with no external forces causing it and sighed.

"Sailor Moon… the Senshi of klutziness."


	6. Chapter 4

**A/N: **My study habits are deteriorating a bit… so this might be the last chapter in a while until I finish all my English notes… and chemistry… and four units of maths. Shudder Why or why did I take Extension 2?? I wasn't going to upload this chapter with the last two, but since I'm going to be doing work for a while I decided against.

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 4 – Secret identities can be a bother.**

* * *

"Did you hear? There's a new heroine called Sailor Moon! And she's right here in Japan!"

"I know! She's so cool! She's just like Sailor V!"

"And she's so young! She's a teenager!

"She's sooo beautiful!"

Usagi smiled at the group of elementary school children in the park. "Look, Luna, they're all talking about me!" She giggled in delight at how popular she was, or rather, how popular her alter ego was. It was only a week since Luna came to her and told her she was the Senshi of Justice and already Sailor Moon was the talk of Azabu.

"Usagi-chan, this is not a celebrity career! This is saving the Earth from the evil that threatens to destroy it!" Luna scolded the teenager.

"Well if I'm going to be a superhero, I may as well enjoy it!"

A sigh was heard from the black feline as she watched her charge happily slurp at an ice cream cone. Though she was impressed by her study habits, Usagi was still a klutz - and a total pig when it came to food. Luna couldn't understand why someone so intelligent was so trivial about her alter ego and had no concerns for the seriousness of her mission.

"Should I give them an autograph?" Usagi inquired, giggling.

Luna was so shocked at the suggestion that her fur stood up on end and her claws sharpened. "Absolutely not!" she hissed, scarlet eyes wide. "You cannot let anyone know about your identity! What if the Dark Kingdom discovered they knew your true identity? They would be put in as much danger as you, perhaps more!"

"Whoa, Luna, I was just kidding! Geez," Usagi admonished the feline, but her heart stopped at the fact that she had to hide such an important secret to her family and friends. She told Mamoru and Motoki everything, and Naru and Unazuki were her best friends at her school. How was she going to go about her life not being able to talk to any of them about the dangers she was fighting against, the dangers they were all facing?

Luna peered at the girl, knowing exactly what was tormenting her at that moment. "I know it's going to be hard, Usagi, but it's imperative that you keep our mission a secret from everyone."

* * *

Kenji and Ikuko went out that night with Sonomi and Yamazaki, so the Tsukino siblings had dinner at the Furuhata house.

"Did you hear about Sailor Moon at the music studio? There was this huge vampire-like creature terrorising the staff and she saved them!" Shingo exclaimed.

"She was real after all," Motoki sighed. "Naru's definitely going to exact revenge on us for not believing her!"

Usagi sat and ate as she watched her brother and friends talk about her unknowingly. She wondered with disdain if every time like this was going to be filled with discussions about Sailor Moon. What if she let something slip? She had decided during this conversation to stay quiet, but she couldn't keep it up forever.

"That sailor uniform is so _skimpy_." Unazuki stated. "Doesn't she get cold? Or embarrassed? There's no way I'd want to be showing off my legs like that." Usagi chuckled at how alike she and Unazuki thought, thanking the younger girl for voicing her exact concern as she drank from her glass.

"I think it's sexy."

The words struck Usagi and she choked on her water, gasping and turning a deep crimson as she gaped at Mamoru next to her. The four stared at her face and when they noticed her change in complexion and wide eyes Shingo burst into laughter. Motoki ask if she was okay and she nodded absent-mindedly, still astonished by Mamoru's remark.

"What?" Mamoru asked, frowning at her.

"Could you keep thoughts like that to yourself? I'm trying to eat," she replied, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible.

"Awww, is little Odango embarrassed?" he cooed, pinching her cheek, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You want me to say something like that about you?" Shingo doubled over and clutched his stomach.

_You already DID_, Usagi replied mentally. "NO!" She answered, prying his hand off her face. Then she smacked her brother soundly on the back of his head for laughing at her.

"You know Usagi," Unazuki piped up, interrupting her wrath. "You _do_ look like Sailor Moon."

"W-what?" Usagi stammered. The four stared at her in assessment, and she gulped nervously.

_No, no, no! If they suspect me and figure it out, Luna's going to hunt me down!_

"Nah, apart from the odangos, I don't see the resemblance," Shingo concluded.

Usagi sighed in relief.

"Yeah, she's too klutzy to be a superhero," Mamoru commented.

"MAMORU-KUN!" Usagi screeched. "You're dead!"

"Uh, Mamoru," Motoki warned, "you better make a run for it."

"No kidding!" the raven-haired boy exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat and bolted, an angry Odango Atama hot on his tail.

* * *

"Kami, I'm exhausted. Odango sure can run."

Motoki laughed as his adopted brother collapsed on the couch, after seeing Usagi and Shingo off after nine. His thoughts turned back to the cause of the chase. "I wonder who Sailor Moon is, though… she seems pretty young in what little photos the reporters have been able to take."

Mamoru emitted a muffled grunt from his position on the couch, face down into a cushion. He had been wondering the same thing since first meeting her at OSA-P. The events of that day were hazy; he recalled getting a huge migraine when he was with Meiko and then felt something come over him. Then he found himself at OSA-P in a tuxedo and mask and saved Sailor Moon from the youma. That was what he heard them call it, wasn't it? What struck him the most was Sailor Moon's appearance: long, shapely legs, vibrant blue eyes, and her lengthy, silver hair gave her a look that was almost… ethereal. She looked no older than Usagi and Unazuki, but something about her eyes gave her this sense of maturity. _And they're so familiar, those eyes…_

"Hello? Earth to Mamoru!"

"Huh?" Mamoru looked up from his prostrate position to see Motoki looking at him in concern

"You okay, buddy?" Motoki queried, and Mamoru was about to respond when a sharp pain assaulted his head. _Not again_.

Keeping his voice and face as painless as possible he calmly told his best friend that he was getting a headache. "You better get some rest then," Motoki suggested, and Mamoru went upstairs to his bedroom, locking the door before letting the transformation take over. His senses took over and he could feel Sailor Moon's fright. Opening his bedroom window he jumped out into the night, wondering how and why he knew exactly when she was in danger and where to go. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop._Could it be that she's the reason for these headaches? Do I transform when she's in danger? But why? I never even knew her before now!_

Tuxedo Kamen arrived at the radio station to see a blond-haired man attack the Senshi of the Moon. She delivered a flying kick but was knocked back by a force field, and she whimpered in pain. Sailor Moon tried to use her tiara but the man, easily stopping it, smirked as Sailor Moon began to panic. Her enemy began to close in on her but before he could reach her Mamoru reacted, a rose appearing in his hand, and he threw it in between them, the rose impaling itself into the cement.

The attacker turned to meet Tuxedo Kamen's gaze and recognition washed through Mamoru, though he didn't know why. The blond smirked, and turned to the frightened heroine. "He may have saved you this time, Sailor Moon, but I promise you, I _will_be back," he warned, before vanishing.

Tuxedo Kamen jumped off the rooftop he was on to land next to Sailor Moon. "Are you okay?" He asked, and she nodded, blushing slightly.

"Thank you," she replied, "you saved me again."

"It was no problem," he said, turning away, surveying the area. A pile of dust was blown apart by the wind. "The youma's gone?"

"Yeah…" Sailor Moon replied. Tuxedo Kamen nodded, and bid her farewell. "Wait!" she pleaded, but he leapt off the rooftop and headed home.

In a matter of minutes Tuxedo Kamen had changed back into Mamoru and the teenager collapsed on his bed. He couldn't get her face out of his mind. When he saw how scared she was this compelling urge to protect her took over and Mamoru wondered why he had such a protective nature for someone he met only days ago. He peered at the clock to see it was already two in the morning, and decided to ponder those ideas later, getting us much sleep as possible before he had to leave for school.

* * *

Usagi wasn't as lucky. She had slept soundly through her alarm clock and four shouts from her mother to get up. Ikuko sighed and told Unazuki to go ahead, or she would be late too. The fifth yell from downstairs fell on deaf ears and Usagi continued to snore away until Luna pounced on her.

"Tuxedo Kamen, you're so dreamy… ITAI!"

The blonde's eyes opened as she glared at her cat. "What is it?" she demanded, wanting to know why she was so abruptly woken up from her dream about her crush.

"Its eight fifteen, Usagi-chan. Don't you have school today?"

The teenager blanched and stared at the clock, seeing the minute hand pointed at the three and screeched. "CRAP! I'm going to be laaaaate!" She leaped out of bed, only to find her foot caught in the quilt and she crashed to the floor. She picked herself up and frantically ran around her room.

Usagi hurriedly dressed and brushed her teeth before grabbing her lunch and running as fast as she could to school, making it to school just in time to avoid the gate closing on her face. She turned up to homeroom to see twenty-four shocked classmates and one shocked teacher. "Usagi-chan, you're late today. That's very unlike you."

"Gomen Nasai, Sakurada-sensei… I overslept," she apologised and sat down.

"Well make sure it doesn't happen again. Now, if you could all turn to chapter four…" her teacher began, but Usagi could feel her eyelids growing heavier, and despite her attempts to shrug it off the fatigue took over her.

* * *

"What? Usagi got a detention today?"

Motoki and Mamoru stared in shock at their sister as Unazuki explained what had happened. Usagi slept in and got to school late, then fell asleep in English. Haruna Sakurada, her homeroom teacher, was concerned at first, but when Usagi said she was fine continued with her lesson, only to find the student yawning and falling asleep again and she gave her a detention in annoyance.

"When does it end?" Motoki queried, and Unazuki checked her watch.

"She should be done any time soon." And sure enough, ten minutes later a disgruntled Usagi staggered into the parlour and slumped into the booth they were in.

"Hi," she mumbled, before resting her head in crossed arms on the table, falling asleep again. The three looked at each other in confusion before Motoki decided to get some answers.

"Usagi-chan," he whispered, shaking her awake. She sat upright and blinked her eyes in sleepiness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Motoki-kun. I'm just tired, is all. Guess I stayed up too late studying."

Mamoru leaned over the table to meet her tired gaze. "Somehow I don't believe that, Usagi-chan. You've pulled all-nighters before and never been this tired. So you haven't been studying all night."

Caught in the lie Usagi averted her gaze, blushing in guilt. Mamoru got out of the booth and kneeled in front of her, forcing her to look at him. "What's going on, Usagi?" He found he himself was sleepier than usual, but then again he had an excuse, what with saving Sailor Moon and all. He watched his best friend in concern as she shook her head sadly.

"It's nothing, really." She lied. _I wish I could tell you, really. But not only am I not supposed to tell anyone that I'm saving the Earth on a nightly basis, but it's not like any of you would be ready to believe me, anyway._

"Usagi –" Mamoru began, but he was cut off as Luna leaped onto the table. The group stared in surprise, wondering how she got in. Luna leaped into Usagi's arms and nuzzled her close to her ear, and Mamoru noticed Usagi's face falter. The blonde teenager got up and snaked around Mamoru.

"I've gotta go, guys. Sorry to leave so soon, but there's something I've forgotten to do."

Before anyone could argue with her Usagi left the parlour with Luna in hand and sighed. She thought it was cool at first, being a superhero renowned with saving the citizens of Tokyo from danger. But keeping her identity secret from even her best friends was making her feel so very alone. The night battles were weighing down on her and she was finding less and less time to do her homework and sleep. And today was a fine example of how she had to cut her commitments to her friends short to battle the Dark Kingdom.

However, duty called, and Usagi found herself questioning why she agreed to this mission in the first place as she transformed into the Senshi of Justice once again.


	7. Chapter 5

**A/N:**Sorry I've only got the one chapter, been busy with schoolwork and the monitor's giving me headaches. Thanks for all the reviews! Just a note saying that I've drawn up birthdays for everyone so that their ages are consistent throughout the story. I've made Unazuki's birthday on the 14th of March, which means though she's a year younger than Usagi she started school earlier for her age (School year begins in Japan in April, if that makes sense). So she's in the same grade as Usagi. Now, on to the story…

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 5 – When it hits close to home.**

* * *

Five minutes prior to Tsukino Usagi's transformation

Mamoru, Motoki and Unazuki stared at Usagi as she walked stiffly to the parlour entrance, obviously trying not to look like she was rushing it. When she was out of earshot Motoki crossed his arms and frowned. "Now what was that all about?"

"I have no idea, Motoki-kun," Mamoru replied. He turned to the junior high school student. "Did anything else weird happen at school?"

Unazuki stroked her chin in contemplation. "Apart from falling asleep in class, she's done nothing too unusual. She was a little quieter than normal at lunch, though."

"It's strange," Motoki mused, "she usually tells you everything, Mamoru."

Mamoru nodded distractedly as he began to think about the ebony feline which Usagi left with. _That cat showed up not too long ago… and now Usagi's acting weird… I hope she's not caught up in anything dangerous… they way she looked before she left, it was almost as if she was being pushed into something she didn't want to do, or regretted…_

Unazuki looked up at her adopted brother, sitting next to her, who seemed lost in his own ruminations. "Mamoru-kun, are you okay?" He was about to respond when two girls turned up at their booth.

"Hey there, boys, Unazuki," greeted one.

"Reika!" Motoki exclaimed, standing up and embracing his girlfriend of one year. She had wavy chestnut hair down to her waist and deep, navy blue eyes. He kissed her on the cheek and they sat down, Reika taking the place that Usagi had previously occupied. She had a composure that resonated with maturity and grace, which contrasted to the girl she had left school that afternoon with. The other, with straighter brown hair looked at the couple in teenage envy, knowing that Mamoru was too formal to give any form of the public display of affection which she desired so much. Mamoru stood and offered her a seat, and once Meiko was in place Mamoru slid in at the end of the booth.

"We saw Usagi-chan running off. Did something happen?" Reika inquired

Mamoru, Motoki and Unazuki glanced at each other hesitantly and she looked at the three siblings in curiosity. "We don't actually know," Motoki confessed. "All we know is she's less energetic and is starting to fall asleep in class."

Mamoru winced as the foreboding headache emerged and pain shot through his skull. He stood up and the group watched him in surprise. "I've gotta go."

Motoki's eyebrows disappeared under his sandy fringe. "Not you too, Mamoru! What's your excuse?"

"I have karate class." It was half true, anyway; he was supposed to meet his sensei, but not for another two hours. _But thankfully they didn't know that_.

"But, Mamoru! You promised me we'd go shopping!" Meiko whined, pouting.

He shook his head in apology and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I apologise, Meiko-san. Next time, I swear." And before anyone could get a single word in he turned and bolted, but not a single one of them missed the fact that he left in the same direction Usagi had.

* * *

A blond man clad in a grey uniform with red trimming laughed as he watched the children at the elementary school fall, having been drained of their energy by the youma. _Queen Beryl will be pleased with the amount of energy we're collecting today. Pitiful humans: so easy to attack, especially the young ones._ "You have done well," he commended the youma.

"Thank you, General Jadeite," hissed the youma as it drained the last bit of energy from a group of fifth-graders. It then turned to the sixth graders in the courtyard and grabbed a boy with sandy hair by her own scarlet locks.

The boy's knees began to buckle as his strength left, and his red-haired friend yelled out to him. "No! Get away from here, Mika-chan!" the boy cried weakly as his attacker looked up to see his friend. The youma cackled and extended an arm out to grab the girl, but someone jumped down and carried the child out of the way.

"Let go of him," the figure spoke menacingly, placing the girl back on her feet. Sailor Moon glared at the youma, which resembled a female vampire with fiery red hair. She jumped and kicked the youma soundly in the stomach, and it staggered to the ground, letting go of its prey. _No one hurts Shingo and gets away with it_.

"You!" Jadeite exclaimed, his hand clenching into a fist. "I'm tired of your meddling!"

"Well you're going to get it, creep! I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon I punish you for attacking these innocent children!" _And my BROTHER, you bastard!_

The youma spread its wings and lunged at Sailor Moon, who dodged the assault just in time, but the youma threw a low roundhouse kick at her legs and Sailor Moon was knocked off balance, crashing to the ground. The General laughed triumphantly and ran a hand through his short blond hair as the youma grabbed her into a choke hold and extended its red claws to her face, stopping millimetres from slicing her skin. "It's been nice knowing you, Sailor Moon," he declared, "but like I've said, you've meddled for the last time. I'm afraid that I have some energy to deliver, so I don't have the privilege of witnessing your demise. Goodbye, Sailor Moon." And he disappeared. The youma cackled and Sailor Moon began to panic as she saw the claws lengthen even more, and closed her eyes, anticipating the searing pain of torn flesh.

Suddenly the youma screamed and released her, and Sailor Moon fell to the floor. A flash of black and Tuxedo Kamen kneeled beside her. "Are you alright, Sailor Moon?" he asked softly, stroking the cheek which had almost been slashed by the youma. _God, her skin is so soft… whoa, not now, Tuxedo Kamen, you can flirt with her later_.

"I-I'm fine," she stammered, blushing. "You saved me again, Tuxedo Kamen!"

Tuxedo Kamen grinned charmingly. "It's my job." He grimaced at the fallen children around the courtyard. "Picking on kids… how low can they go?"

The Youma screeched and shot its hair towards Tuxedo Kamen, who repelled it with his cane. Usagi ran over to Shingo, who was conscious, but weak. His friend Mika had already rushed over to him. "Will you be okay, you two?" she queried.

Mika nodded, and grabbed Shingo's hand. "I'm fine, but I don't think Shingo's doing too well."

Sailor Moon turned to face the battle between Tuxedo Kamen and the youma, silver pigtails swishing with the motion. Tuxedo Kamen threw a steel-tipped rose at the youma and the petals landed in its eyes. "Sailor Moon!" he called. "Your tiara!"

She stood and threw her tiara at the youma. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried. The glowing discus made contact and the youma was reduced to ash.

When she made sure that Shingo would be okay, Sailor Moon jumped up onto the school roof and sighed. The sounds of Juuban Elementary School's students talking about the attack and the rescue by their heroes echoed throughout the campus, and she was glad that she got there before something serious happened to them. She felt tears welling in her eyes at the memory of seeing Shingo drained of his energy by the youma but held them back. She sensed that she was not alone, and turned to find her masked saviour behind her.

"Tuxedo Kamen," she greeted, surprised that he had not simply taken off like the night before.

"Sailor Moon," he breathed as he drank in her full appearance. The image was picturesque; curves in all the right places, silver hair billowing in the light breeze, and a solemn expression on her face. He swore in wonder at how beautiful she was, and at the strange attraction he felt after only knowing and saving her for a week. His eyes gazed at her through his domino mask, slowly drawing up her long and creamy legs, past that deep blue miniskirt, along her brooch and the red ribbon that hid her – most likely – perfect breasts from view, up her delicate neck, her pink lips (which he imagined to be soft as velvet to the touch) and rested on her deep blue eyes, which peered at him through her own mask; white like his, with wings framing the end. _Funny_, he mused,_ they look a lot like Sailor V's_. He matched his gaze with the cerulean orbs and his breath hitched in his throat as he saw the misery contained within them. His body decided to move of its own will and Tuxedo Kamen strolled towards her, drawn to her eyes.

Sailor Moon felt his arms wrap around her, the thumping of her heart coursing through her; a throb so loud she thought the man before her could hear it. She realized just how tall he was from the close proximity and was captivated by the features she could see. His hair was darker than night, and he possessed eyes so deep, so intense she felt she could drown in them for eternity. He towered over her, at least over a foot higher than she even with the heels on her boots, and wondered if Mamoru or Motoki matched up to his height.

The thought struck her as she realised she had left them at the parlour to come to this battle, and were probably wondering what happened to her and why she took off so suddenly. She frowned and broke eye contact with Tuxedo Kamen. _God, wouldn't I be dead if one of them followed me here and saw me transform. They'd probably die of shock and Mamoru would tease me about being too klutzy to be Sailor Moon._ Her shoulders slumped at her mental reminder of her best friend, whom she couldn't talk to regarding her life as Sailor Moon. _I feel so bad for keeping this a secret from him… from all of them. And what if my friends and family get attacked again and I'm too late?_

"… okay?"

"Huh?" She replied eloquently, snapping back to the present situation, and looked up to see Tuxedo Kamen frowning in concern.

"I asked if you were okay," he repeated himself, "you seem troubled."

"I… I'm fine," she responded, pulling his arms off her. "I just have a lot on my mind… that's all." She met his gaze again and bowed. "Thank you for saving me again," she continued, and turned to leave. "I guess… I'll see you around."

"I guess so," he agreed, and Sailor Moon jumped off the rooftops of Azabu to return home.

* * *

Mamoru wandered aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo. It was well past midnight, the streetlights and moon being the only source of light in the darkness of night. He had been walking around for almost five hours since dinner. He couldn't get the image of Sailor Moon out of his head! Every time he tried to think of something else, those vibrant eyes filled with sorrow came back to him, and he had wanted so desperately to wipe the tears from her face like he had so many times with Usagi when they were little. He wondered about his attraction to the sailor-suited heroine. He felt… something, the moment he saw her at Osaka-san's jewellery store. He didn't know what it was but it had consumed him and overwhelmed him so much that sometimes he couldn't breathe. He knew that the reason why he was Tuxedo Kamen was to help her; this desire – no, _need_ to protect her washed over him every time he felt her transform. He had concluded that she was definitely the one who caused him to transform, though occasionally he managed it himself when the need was dire to him. He _had_ to protect her, for reasons he had yet to identify. And his heart broke when he saw the torment within her gaze.

_Dammit, Mamoru_, he reprimanded himself, _you have a girlfriend! Remember Meiko? Why are you even thinking of another girl?_ But that idea brought merely more questions rather than answers. What was it about Sailor Moon that spoke out to him so much? He had never felt anything like this about his girlfriend. But he liked Meiko, didn't he? Something about Sailor Moon made him feel strange. And something about those eyes brought familiarity, like he had seen her somewhere before…

Someone yelped in panic and bumped into him and, instinctively, Mamoru put his hands out and found two shoulders as he steadied himself and the newcomer. Two distinctive blonde odangos caught his eye.

"_Usagi?!_"

The girl looked up in bewilderment. "Mamoru-kun! What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Odango. Do you know what time it is?" he admonished. "Unazuki told me you fell asleep in class today! If it wasn't Saturday tomorrow I'd murder you for being up this late at night. And don't you know you shouldn't be walking around at this time by yourself?" _Is she trying to give me a heart attack? What if something happened to her?_

She bowed her head in guilt. "I'm sorry, Mamoru… I just… I needed to go over some things in my head."

Normally he would comment on the fact that she never usually thought deeply about anything, but instead he frowned in surprise. _She took a walk to think about things as well? Sometimes we think so alike, it's scary! _"Well… do you want to talk about it?"

Usagi looked up at him contemplatively, and Mamoru swore he saw a look of apology flash through her eyes. "No… it's nothing. I just wanted to clear my head. You know, enjoy the night sky and take my mind off things for a while." _Like my role as Sailor Moon and how I seem to suck at it._

"What things?" he asked in concern.

"Like I said, Mamoru, it's nothing." She stifled a yawn and began to head back home but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her backwards, and she slammed into his chest.

"I am never going to believe that statement as long as I live, Odango," he whispered into her ear. "Not from you, when you're out walking the streets of Tokyo. Alone. In the dark. At midnight. Now tell me what things are obviously plaguing your mind, or we'll never go home, trust me."

Usagi, desperate to go home and sleep, racked her brain for a good excuse. One that was so plausible for her venture into the dark, empty streets so late at night that he would drop the subject. She knew him too well, and vice versa, so as long what she said was legit and could genuinely bother her so much, he would let it go. Her mind recalled the battle and the answer came to her.

"I'm worried about Shingo."

Mamoru dropped her wrist and she turned to face him. "He was attacked today, wasn't he?" he queried, though knowing the answer. The memory of seeing his little friend's drained body on the concrete floor made him shudder internally. _Why_wouldn't_ she'd be worried about him… Mika must have made it sound really bad.__And it was._

"Yeah," she replied, impressed that he took the reason in so willingly. _Well of course he would; Shingo's like a little brother to him._ "It's just made me realise that no one's safe anymore. I mean, they attacked a school! Those kids were helpless! If Sailor Moon hadn't been there…" Usagi fell to her knees, sobbing as she thought of what could've happened if the youma got away and Shingo was left without his energy. At dinner it took all her willpower not to break down and cry when she saw Shingo sitting next to her, having escaped death. _What if I got there and it was too late? What then?__What would I do?_

Mamoru bent down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she flung her arms around his neck, sobbing into his black turtleneck. He pulled Usagi closer to him and whispered gently in her ear as the damp spot on his clothes grew throughout the fabric with her tears. His thoughts drifted back to Sailor Moon and he thanked her silently for rescuing Shingo in the nick of time. If it weren't for her, he could have very well died, and Usagi would be in a much worse state than this.

"Don't cry, Usagi-chan," he soothed, stroking her hair. "It'll be okay, as long as Sailor Moon's here to save the day." _And I'm there to save her, _he added. "She'll protect everyone. I know she can. She has my gratitude for saving your brother. And she can do it again."

Hearing him unknowingly praise her Usagi smiled weakly into his turtleneck and tightened her grip briefly in thanks. He smiled and picked her up bridal style, and she tensed at first, before relaxing once she was convinced his hold was secure. He smiled at his best friend as her crying began to subside and sleep consumed her, and laughed at her face when she yawned. She glared at him and poked his ribs and he chuckled.

"Let's get you home."

* * *

"Jadeite, I'm disappointed in you. Once again, Sailor Moon has foiled our plans to collect energy for Metallia."

The General kneeled before his Queen loyally as she berated him, his brow sweating with the tension. She glared at him with dark red eyes, her crimson hair framing her sharp and imposing features. A black tiara with a green stone adorned her forehead, and her blue dress fell down to her feet. Long red nails tapped the armrest of her onyx throne in displeasure.

"My apologies, Queen Beryl… but Sailor Moon is starting to become quite a bother." His navy blue eyes flashed in anger at the Senshi of the Moon.

"Yes, I have noticed that she's causing you quite a bit of grief, Jadeite. But the fact remains that we still have yet to collect enough energy to construct the necessary means to obtain the ginzuishou. You know that I want its power!"

"I know, my Queen."

"My Queen, if Jadeite is not up to the task, then perhaps you should send me in his place," a man spoke from behind the blond henchman. Jadeite stood and glared at his comrade, who returned the gaze with mocking brown eyes. He bore a uniform similar to Jadeite's, but with orange trimming and two red stones on the jacket, framing the shoulders. His dark brown hair stopped mid-back, and he tapped his navy boots in amusement on the granite floor.

"This is my task, Nephrite," the blond spat. "You would do well to stay out of my way and let me do my job."

"Tut, tut, gentlemen, you should not be so antagonistic towards each other; it's quite detrimental to your positions as Generals," another called from the side. His uniform had an emerald green edging on his jacket, and his long, wavy auburn hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Zoisite," Queen Beryl addressed the latter, "where is Kunzite?"

"My apologies, my Queen." A flash of cyan appeared in the middle of the three Generals and a fourth appeared. His uniform bore blue edges and a white cape fixed to his jacket with cyan stones. His white-blonde hair fell straight and stopped just past his shoulders.

"Now that you are all here," Beryl continued, "you are all aware that I need energy to find the ginzuishou. It was the crystal possessed by Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. That crystal was the source of her power which she had used to defeat the Dark Kingdom a thousand years ago. It was the cause of my defeat; now it will be the cause of my success! With that crystal in my hands, we will possess great power – enough to take over the universe!"

"My Queen, is the ginzuishou truly that powerful? We would have detected something so concentrated in energy earlier."

"You are correct, Zoisite; the crystal was sealed away by Queen Serenity, having used all her power to defeat us. But I am certain the crystal is on Earth. I need energy or we can never start searching for the ginzuishou. Which means, Jadeite," she turned to the blond general. "I need you to succeed."

* * *

**A/N:**I'll try to update again, but I really should be doing schoolwork, I feel bad for slacking off. Don't forget to review!

- PazaakGirl


	8. Chapter 6

**A/N:**SUGIMASEN! Been a long time, ne? I apologise for the delay; it struck me how long it's been since I last updated when I saw my story was relegated to the third page! But I have sooo much work to do… school's back and for those in Australia you could understand when I say I'm doing Extension 2 Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics, yes? … no? pouts Anyways, I _do_come bearing gifts! _Please_ don't be mad!!!

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Sailor Moon: that right belongs to only Naoko Takeuchi, the Goddess who created this legend of a manga, and I apologise for all the times I've spelt her name wrong in the past! (blushes profusely)

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 6 – And it gets uncomfortable.**

* * *

"_Tuxedo Kamen…"_

_He stood before the castle, looking up for the source of the voice through the haze. A figure stood on the balcony above, its voice merely a whisper, filled with longing and pain. The fog surrounding him was obstructing the sight of the figure, and the darkness shrouded its face from his eyesight._

"_Who are you?" Mamoru called. "Show yourself!"_

_The mist intensified and the figure called out the name of his alter ego once again._

"_Tuxedo Kamen… help me… set me free…"_

Mamoru awoke with a jolt, breathing heavily. His vision focused in the darkness and he realised he was no longer surrounded by mist, but was in the club house, which had been converted into a study when Motoki and Mamoru entered high school. The rumpus room was twenty-four square metres in total: three metres each into both backyards and four from the back of the fence. The toys and game consoles which once occupied the room had been replaced with bookshelves and a work desk that resided in the far corner along the Furuhata backyard. Their thirty-two inch flat-screen Samsung TV sat on a small entertainment unit along the wall facing the houses, complete with a DVD player and sound system. A vase of red roses occupied a small roundtable beside it. A little off from the centre of the room was a low, round coffee table. Two lamps were in the room; one at the desk and one on a small night table next to the bed. Several throw pillows were scattered around the floor.

The room itself was symmetrical in design. It had three windows: one each on the left and right walls, and a sunroof which they could use to look at the sky at night. The walls were a very pale blue, with two beige doors on the ends of the front wall, so they could easily enter from either house. The floor was made of wood, light in colour. Three down lights were fixed into the ceiling. Mamoru loved it; it was a place that any of the children could use for times when they needed to get away from either their parents or each other. He leaned forward in the swivel chair he occupied; trying to remember a face from the dream, but it was too hazy.

A light snoring brought Mamoru away from his thoughts and he spun around to look at the double bed that ran along the corner between the back wall and the wall which spanned its length entirely on the Tsukino residence. He grinned as he watched Usagi sleep, her hair taken down from their odangos; a cascade of gold spilling over the edge of the bed. _Doesn't she ever cut it? _He wondered, and chuckled at the time he had dared Motoki to chop a foot off her tresses. Usagi had chased them through both houses seeking vengeance for her lost strands.

He looked at the digital clock on the desk behind him. 2:30, the red digits told him._I slept for a little over two hours only?_ He was wide awake. _Guess it was that dream… that dream and the things that have been on my mind keeping me awake. Man, late nights are becoming a habit for me_. Deciding to study himself to sleep he pulled a physics book from the shelf and turned the lamp on the desk on, dimming it and angling it away from the bed. He started reading about the Theory of Relativity, but his thoughts drifted back to the dream. _That was so… weird. Who am I supposed to set free? Is that my role as Tuxedo Kamen, not solely to protect the sailor-suited soldier that was occupying his thoughts? I feel like that dream was supposed to mean something, but what?_

"Can't sleep? Or does your life revolve around whatever exciting and potentially useless information you can cram into your head?"

He chuckled and turned to see Usagi sitting upright on the bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"The former," he whispered. "Sorry, Did I wake you?"

"It's okay; I'm not sleepy," she claimed, stifling a yawn.

He smirked and stood from his seat as he walked the length of the room to kneel at the bed, taking her hand in his. "Are you feeling better?"

Usagi said nothing, merely nodding her head slowly, as though trying to determine if she actually was okay. In the dim lighting Mamoru caught was seemed to be abject misery in her eyes and his mind wandered back to the elementary school rooftop. The moonlight shone through the sunroof and cast a ghostly glow on Usagi's form, and her blonde hair seemed to shine a silvery gold.

For a moment, Mamoru thought that he was staring at Sailor Moon.

Instinct asked he follow that line of thought, but his mind screamed rational rebellion. Usagi was a klutz, and despite her intelligence and good grades, was not a very fast thinker, which you had to be when fighting a youma. Granted, Sailor Moon had klutzed out a few times during battle, but she was brave, her occasional bouts of fright notwithstanding. Usagi, he knew from experience, did not handle precarious situations very well. And had it been Usagi who fought at the school the afternoon before, Sailor Moon would have taken the attack on Shingo much, much worse than through silent despair. No, he mutely concluded with an inkling of certainty, Usagi wasn't Sailor Moon; he needed much more proof than a trick of the light.

"So how come you're awake at this time?" she queried, glancing at the clock. "Even _you_ don't study willingly at this time of the night." A third urge to yawn overcame her and she let it succeed, rubbing her eyes.

He grinned and ran a hand through his raven locks. "I had a weird dream."

"Yeah? What was it about?"

He frowned, contemplating whether he should tell her or not, and decided it was of no consequence if she knew; he didn't know who was calling for him anyway. "Someone just told me to set them free."

Her brow scrunched up in confusion. "Weird."

He laughed. "Just like I said." He tapped her brow and his mouth twitched in amusement. "Don't make that face, Odango Atama. It might get stuck that way." She leered at him, puffing her cheeks in annoyance and he laughed harder. Usagi could make the most comical facial expressions at times. When he mimicked her face Usagi pounced on him and they fell to the wooden floor, laughing together as they wrestled, each one trying to poke the other in the side.

Usagi squealed as he got two jabs in and Mamoru was thankful that their fathers had thought to soundproof the room. He yelped as Usagi poked him sharply in the ribs. Mamoru glared at her and she merely grinned innocently before assaulting him, attacking the spots where she knew he was extremely ticklish. She shrieked again when he rolled on top of her, grabbed both her arms and held them above her head with one arm as he activated the infamous 'laughing buttons,' and her body spasmed as she tried desperately to free her from the merciless tickling and gasped for air.

He stopped his barrage of fingers, letting her catch her breath, and a sudden awareness of their position washed over the both of them. Mamoru supported himself on his knees and hands and loomed over the younger teenager, faces inches apart from each other. Their gazes locked and as he peered into her eyes a feeling of strange familiarity came over him; not for the fact that he knew those eyes from since they were kids, but because he had seen them somewhere else before. The previous thought that she was in fact Sailor Moon ran through his mind and he pushed it away, stubbornly refusing to believe it until he had tangible proof, and he knew if he simply asked her and she _was_ Sailor Moon, she would just deny it.

What struck him next was how much his little Odango had grown. Her long eyelashes fluttered with every blink of her vibrant blue eyes, and her face no longer resembled a bubbly child but that of a young woman, with soft cheeks and very kissable lips, and he chuckled mentally at the thought of the latter. He stroked her loose hair absent-mindedly with his free hand, marvelling at the softness he felt. _Even Meiko's hair isn't as wonderful as this… it's almost like silk… or spun gold._ He took her entire upper body in and raised his eyebrows subtly in approval. _Oh yes, whatever guy dates Usagi would be very overwhelmed.__That's if he gets past not only her parents, but Motoki and I,_ he added, smiling wickedly at the times they had scared off boys who watched her much too closely for her – and their – liking.

Usagi, on the other hand, found her breathing began to quicken as she returned the gaze. His eyes were overpowering, and she had always noticed their intensity as she watched him grow up, but she had never found herself so entranced by them that she lost all coherence. She suddenly realised how undeniably attractive he had become. She felt comforting warmth radiating from his body and she blushed, hoping that the inadequate lighting was masking her change in complexion. Her eyes traced a path from his own azure eyes to his luxurious black hair, which shone with an almost eerie blue tint in the moonlight, and back down the features of his face, carefully avoiding his gaze. His skin was flawless and clean-shaven, his angular jaw shaping his face. Through his shirt she could make out faint lines which served as evidence to his well-defined muscles. _Goddamn_,she thought, _if I didn't know any better, I would think I was crushing on my best friend!_

"_Even as best friends, you two are close. A little too close…"_

The words from weeks ago struck her so forcefully she gasped inaudibly as her gaze shot back to Mamoru's eyes, now frowning at her in concern. _Shit, shit, shit_, she cussed internally. She felt incredibly guilty that she was not only thinking about her best friend on more than a platonic level, but that he already had a girlfriend who was already suspecting that something was going on between them.

"… Could you get off me?" she requested, keeping her voice steady to mask her unease. Her cheeks betrayed her, however, and this time Mamoru noticed the rush of blood.

"Embarrassed, Odango?" he questioned in amusement, chuckling at her squirming as she tried to free her hands. He leaned in and her eyes widened as she tried to put more distance between their faces. "I know that I'm impossible to resist."

"You baka," she replied, "skip the ego trip and get off me already! Are you _trying_ to make me uncomfortable?"

"Oh, just relax, Odango," he said. "I don't mean anything by it."

"Well, all the same, I would prefer if you don't make cracks like that. It doesn't bode well for someone with a girlfriend, you know."

At the mention of his girlfriend he flinched, realising that, from an outside point of view, their previous position would have looked _very_ compromising. He himself felt no hesitation in his playfulness with his best friend. However, seeing that she found the close proximity unsettling, he released her hands and brought himself to his feet. Extending a hand towards her, he grasped her own as she reached up and he hauled her upright. Usagi flopped back onto the bed and snuggled back under the sheets, and he smiled at her childlike appearance which surfaced every now and then before turning back to the desk.

"Where're you going?" a muffled voice spoke from under the sheets.

"Back to my reading," he replied, and he heard a ruffling of fabric before looking back to see Usagi gazing his way.

"Don't tell me you're going to stay in that chair all night!"

"Well, you're in the bed," Mamoru pointed out.

"It's a double-bed for a _reason_, Mamoru-kun. There's no way you're getting any sleep staying in that cramped seat all night." She scooted over to the far end of the bed, making it clear there was enough room for the both of them, and he sighed his defeat before switching the desk lamp off and returning to the bed with his book. _She gets all flustered at a minute of closeness, and then she tells me to get in the bed. _He chuckled at the irony.

"Just don't hog the sheets," he requested, and dodged the pillow she threw at him.

* * *

"Mamoru? Mamoru!"

The seventeen-year-old turned to his right to see his brother staring at him quizzically. "Where did you fly off to, the moon?" Motoki asked.

He smiled internally at the coincidence of Motoki's statement. _I may as well have, what with my train of thought_, he remarked to himself. "Just thinking," he replied casually.

"About what to get Meiko for her birthday?" Motoki queried, and Mamoru nodded; however that was far from what was invading his thoughts. He knew exactly what to get her; she had spoken to him repeatedly about this charm bracelet that she fell in love with, indiscreetly imploring him to buy it for her with all the talk about the accessory.

His thoughts instead were turned to the dream he had. It happened again after he fell asleep for the second time that morning, but this time he could distinctly identify the voice as feminine, and asked for something called the ginzuishou. He shook his head as he recalled the dream, marvelling at just how weird his life was becoming. _First I turn into a superhero that saves the damsel in distress – ironically another superhero, and now I get these crazy dreams._

"Mamoru-san! Motoki-san!"

The two boys turned around and Mamoru groaned as four or so girls from their high school approached them eagerly, giggling and throwing flirtatious smiles their way.

"Great, the 'fan club' again… Usagi and Unazuki are going to have a field day."

Motoki chuckled and waved politely at the girls. A few squeals of joy erupted from some and Mamoru wanted nothing more than to turn invisible right there and then.

"We know you have girlfriends," one of the girls piped up, smiling sweetly at the two, "but we were wondering if you would like to have a coffee with the girls and I. It's on us!"

"Sorry, girls, but we've got errands to run," Motoki apologised, and some of the girls sighed in disappointment, their faces falling in unison.

"Oh, okay," the leader replied, "well, sorry to bother you, but maybe another time?" Instantly the group looked up at the boys eagerly, and Mamoru couldn't help but get a little freaked out at their simultaneity.

"Yeah, maybe another time," Mamoru agreed abruptly, grabbing his brother by the shoulder, "Motoki, I really think we should be going now. See you at school, girls!"

The fan club shouted their goodbyes amongst a set of giggles and starry eyes at the fact that Mamoru had spoken to them and the said boy rolled his eyes as they walked towards the jewellery store. "I just figured out what to get her, Motoki," he lied. "Let's get out of here before more come running."

* * *

Back in the study Motoki and Mamoru were reviewing their material for the physics test on the Monday. Since Mamoru inevitably knew everything that they had to learn – a trait Motoki couldn't help but be envious of – he was testing the blond.

"Relativity of simultaneity?"

"Two events which are simultaneous in one frame of reference may not necessarily be simultaneous when viewed from another frame of reference."

"Time dilation?"

"Time in a moving frame appears to be slower when relative to a stationary observer." Motoki grumbled at the topic they were studying. "I really hate this topic… it's all theoretical about what happens at the speed of light."

Mamoru laughed and threw the key ring of flashcards at his best friend. "Whether you like it or not, we still need to do the test."

"Says the person who knows the textbook back to front."

"Hey, I resent that!" the ebony-headed boy replied, tossing a throw pillow Motoki's way. The blond laughed and grabbed one near his ankle and battled the projectile away from his face, throwing his own weapon at Mamoru and smacking him on the head.

Mamoru looked up to see another cushion slam into his face and he grabbed the pillow he was lying on and whacked Motoki's side. A sharp pain seared through his head and he cried out in pain. _Not again!_

Motoki was about to bat him with the pillow again when he heard the cry and saw Mamoru clutching his head in agony. "Mamoru! What's wrong? I didn't hit you that hard, did I?"

The boy grumbled and pushed Motoki aside as he tried to get out of the club house, but it was too late. _Damn this stupid cursed involuntary transformation!__Superheroes don't screw up like this! _he thought, as he felt himself turn into Tuxedo Kamen right before his best friend's eyes…

Motoki stood in shock as he watched a blinding light encompass his adopted brother, and where Mamoru was once keeled over in pain, a figure in a black tuxedo and a cape stood with determination; if not apprehension at the fact his identity was no longer a secret. Motoki opened his mouth to blurt out the hundreds of questions going through his mind, but the urgent look Mamoru shot him through his white domino mask silenced him.

"I'll explain everything when I get back, Motoki, but right now I need to be somewhere," he told him, before opening the door and jumping off to find Sailor Moon, leaving a dumbstruck Furuhata Motoki behind.

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Found a spelling/grammatical error or inconsistency? Got questions? Let me know! 

- PazaakGirl


	9. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Someone mentioned to me in a review before about "youma" meaning "monster" in Japanese. But there are different names for the said monsters throughout the Sailor moon meta series, at least according to the various summaries on the net. In Sailor Moon they're called "youma", Sailor Moon S they're called "daimon", Sailor Moon Supers "lemure". That and there's creative licence, so let's just make it a special term to ease my conscience, ne?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any mentioned arcade games in this chapter or their characters.

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 7 – The new kid in Juuban.**

* * *

Tsukino Usagi's bedroom, Saturday afternoon

"Luna, I should have gotten there earlier. I wasn't fast enough." It took Usagi ages to get to the fortune teller store that afternoon. Umino and a dozen other boys had lay collapsed on the floor, drained of energy.

"You were going as fast as you could," the black feline replied, purring in pleasure as Usagi subconsciously scratched her behind the ears. "Even as Sailor Moon, there are limits to your strength and speed, but with training you'll get stronger."

"Even so, the thought of what happened to Shingo before won't leave my head… I might be too late next time." Tears fell from her eyes and she held Luna closer to her.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Usagi. It's difficult to battle these youma on your own, which is why we have to find the other Senshi as quickly as possible."

"There are other Senshi?"

Luna opened her mouth to reply when a tapping was heard from the window. They looked up to see Mamoru standing on the tree branch just outside her room and Usagi nearly fell off her bed when she saw him. Swiftly she got up and opened the window.

"MAMORU! What are you doing? You could have fallen from there!"

He grinned at her shocked expression. "Well, it's quite a trek to have to go through both houses to get to your room; may as well take a short cut. May I come in?" _Liar. I actually just landed on your rooftop as Tuxedo Kamen, but I wouldn't dare tell you that._

"No," she replied, wondering just how long he had been standing precariously on the tree limb, or if he saw her talking to her cat. "In fact, I was going to do my homework."

"Odango, it's a Saturday. Now whose life revolves around their books, hmm?"

She turned back and rummaged through her bag to get her math textbook. "Well I may as well get it over and done with."

He smirked. "Are you avoiding me?"

Usagi turned back in confusion. "What?"

"You know… 'cause of last night."

The flashback of them on the floor with him on top entered her mind and she flushed, quickly turning away to hide the pink tint of her face. "No, I just have school work to do." _Dammit, Mamoru, just leave already, Luna and I aren't finished yet._

He frowned and sighed. "Fine, but you know, you've pretty much been avoiding everyone lately, not just me, you know?"

"What?" She asked quizzically.

"It's true. Unazuki said you weren't your usual talkative self at school, and believe me, that's saying something." He sighed when she made no elaboration on the issue, before kneeling next to Usagi on the floor. "Please, Usagi-chan. Just one afternoon. Lay off the books. It's a Saturday. You can study tomorrow. Hit the arcade, go out, have some fun."

Usagi sat still, unsure of what to say. She could see Luna on her bed peering at her in curiosity.

"Yamazaki-san got a new Sailor V video game." He added with a triumphant grin.

She groaned. "Oh, _fine_."

* * *

Usagi burst into a fit of rage as the screen flashed red and the huge block letters told her she had lost… yet again. She sighed as she and Sailor V conceded defeat for the fifth time that afternoon, but, determined to clear the level and get the high score, she inserted another coin into the machine and started again.

Motoki chuckled at his best friend from the counter as he brought Mamoru and Meiko their coffees. "That girl never gives up."

Mamoru nodded in agreement as he watched her in her determination. Glad that she was happier than the previous night he smiled at her when she looked up. She grinned and waved, but the beeping sounds from the console caught her attention and she shrieked again as the words GAME OVER flashed across the screen and wailed. He laughed from over his coffee cup at her antics as he turned back to his girlfriend and Motoki, eyes glinting with amusement.

Meiko, having seen that look on his face of genuine happiness, was irritated at how a girl two years younger than her could bring a smile to his face so easily, something she worked hard for but never quite got there. "Isn't she a little old for arcade games?" she queried, making it sound less of an insult than she intended it to be and instead opted for curiosity and concern.

"Nah," Mamoru replied. "Best she has her fun while it lasts, before she turns into old teenagers like us who've got no time for a game."

"What I wouldn't give to play for a few hours, myself," Motoki added, sighing in reminiscence.

"Why'd she have to hang around anyway?" Meiko uttered under her breath, unheard by either man. Her cell rang and she pulled it out of her purse, answering and conversing with the person on the other end. She closed the phone and stood up. "I have to go, Mamoru-san. My father's taking me out for dinner in an hour."

"No problem. I'll see you at ten, tomorrow."

She smiled knowingly and kissed his cheek before strutting out of the arcade, waving goodbye. Once the glass doors had closed behind her, Motoki set the glass he was cleaning down and leaned in.

"Alright, Mamoru: spill."

The raven-haired seventeen-year-old sighed. "I _did_ promise, didn't I?" Mamoru took a deep breath before explaining his actions from a few hours beforehand in the shortest way possible.

"I'm Tuxedo Kamen, saviour to Azabu-Juuban's sailor-suited heroine."

"NO WAY!" his best friend whispered harshly in disbelief. "You mean you _know_ Sailor Moon?!"

"Yes and no," Mamoru replied. "I know her, have fought alongside her, rescued her, but I don't know who she really is." He sighed in exasperation. "I don't even know how this all came about. One day I was a high-schooler with a girlfriend and two best friends, getting decent grades, next I start getting these migraines, and before I know it, I'm decked out in a tuxedo and cape. Strange, no?"

"So let me get this straight… you transform out of the blue to save a girl whom you don't even know in real life? You're saving Tokyo's heroine, just because?"

"Exactly. Just… because." He banged his head on the counter. "It makes absolutely no sense at all. And last night I started getting these weird dreams of this girl who's pleading with me to set her free and find something for her. The 'ginzuishou', she says… typical girl to ask for a gem."

"And these monsters?"

"'Youma', or so Sailor Moon refers to them as so. Don't really know much about them, except this blonde guy is ordering them to steal energy off people."

Another wail was heard from Usagi as the game sang its requiem for the Sailor V digital character. Mamoru smiled softly at the Odangoed one before turning back to Motoki.

"You can't tell her."

"What?"

"I'm serious, Motoki. No one knows. At least until you found out, that was true. You're probably going to be in danger if whoever we're fighting finds out about me. I don't want to put her in danger, either."

Motoki raised his eyebrow at his adopted brother. "She's you're best friend, Mamoru!"

"And so are you; and trust me, I hadn't planned on telling _you_ either, oh brother of mine." He turned back to watch the girl he'd grown up with and watched over for their whole lives. "You know how she gets when she worries about me. And I can't risk putting her in danger."

Silence met his plea and he turned back to see a reluctant sandy-haired teenager behind the counter.

"_Please,_Motoki."

"I…" he sighed. "Alright. Not a word."

* * *

PUNCH.

"Cad!"

"Crybaby!"

SMACK

"Hey!" SLAP. "You can't just hit a girl like that, Jerkwad!"

"I wouldn't have if you weren't so annoying, Odango!"

"Baka! Get back here!"

"In your dreams, brat!"

"Freak! You're so stupid sometimes it's exasperating!"

"Big words, for a mitochondria!"

"Oh, no. I ain't taking that biology crap from you, you regressive monkey!"

THUD.

"That hurt, Odango!"

"Well, duh! It was SUPPOSED to! Stop talking to me! You're distracting!"

"No can do, my dear. Now get your ass back here so I can whallop you good."

"NEVER!"

SMASH SMACK SLAP PUNCH WHAP BANG.

"NO!"

Usagi screamed in anguish, glaring back and forth between the boy, her aching hands, and the red letters on the TV screen. A teenage boy pumped his first into the air as the 'K.O' sign flashed on the screen. The Odangoed one stared wistfully at her fallen Chun-Li as Ken flashed his smug grin and pointed his fingers in a 'victory' sign. "How could I lose…?"

"Poor Odango," Mamoru replied, patting her head condescendingly. "You put up a good fight, though. Almost had me there."

"Shyeah. You were toying with me, weren't you?"

"…Pretty much."

"Baka." She stood and stretched out the cramps in her arms and legs for sitting Indian style in front of the Super Nintendo. The small grey controller fell from her lap and the _Street Fighter_ logo flashed mockingly before her and she turned away from the game, wandering up to Mamoru's room before flopping onto the bed.

"You know, normal people usually _ask_ before entering someone else's room," the upperclassman pointed out as he swaggered into the room, shutting the door behind him and sitting on the bed.

"Who said I was a normal person?" Usagi asked him, her voice muffled by his pillow.

"You got that right," he agreed, his lips curving into a grin. "You're as weird as they come."

"Ha, ha, Mamoru-kun." She sighed and turned onto her back, her eyes meeting the mocking azure gaze of one Chiba Mamoru. She fidgeted under his intense watch over her. Something about those eyes had been bothering her of late; they looked so much more calculating and knowing than before. Remembering their previous position in the clubhouse she turned away from him before he saw the blush that was creeping into her cheeks. "What time is it?" she questioned, her eyes fluttering closed as she felt the slight pounding within her chest. _Be still, my beating heart. Why am I getting so riled up now, anyway?_

Mamoru glanced at the clock briefly and turned away, before doing a double-take, eyes widening at the time. "Shimatta! It's already 9:30!"

"Huh?" She answered eloquently, sitting up before feeling her head collide into the side of her best friend's.

"ITAI!" they both cried, rubbing their heads in pain. Mamoru grumbled unintelligibly as he stumbled to his closet, tearing off his shirt as he fumbled through his clothes. "I'm gonna be late."

"You? The great Chiba Mamoru, late?" she queried with a smirk. Her facial expression changed into a frown shortly thereafter. "What're you going to be late for, anyway?"

"I have to meet Meiko in half an hour."

Realisation struck her as she glanced at the calendar on Mamoru's wall. _May 23._ "I forgot it was her birthday today."

"Yeah, and I'm going to get it if I don't leave in five minutes." He groaned as he tossed another T-shirt onto the bed, the material landing over Usagi's head, obstructing her vision. The younger teenager sighed as she stood and let the article of clothing slip off her, before walking towards him and pushing his bare chest away from his clothes, picking out a sky-blue button up shirt with short sleeves.

"You are hopeless in choosing clothes, Mamoru. With the amount of time you spend wondering what to wear I'm starting to question your masculinity." She pulled out a pair of jeans and threw both items into his hands.

"You're a lifesaver, Usagi-chan."

She snorted, suppressing a laugh. "For jeans and a T-shirt? They're just clothes, Mamoru, even if it _is_ your girlfriend." She sighed, wondering what to do for the rest of the day. Mamoru would be with Meiko, Motoki was with Reika, Unazuki went shopping with her classmates and Shingo… she wasn't in the mood for siblings. "I guess I'll see if Naru's doing anything. Greet her for me, yeah?"

"Sure." He smiled briefly before it faltered and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry."

She looked up, a little flustered after having her face squashed against a –still– naked chest. "F-for what?"

"It's just that… we haven't spent that much time together lately, have we? I mean, we practically live in each other's houses and we still don't see each other as much as before."

She shrugged. "I've been busy, so have you. Besides, Meiko's much more important than I am." She turned to the door and opened it, smiling and bid him farewell before he would say anything to dispute the fact even if he wanted to.

* * *

She never did call Naru, however. Instead she opted for finishing the homework she was planning on doing the previous day before aimlessly meandering down the streets of Tokyo. It gave her a little time to think. Luna was investigating prospective Sailor Senshi. She remembered the conversation she had with her the night before about new allies.

_Usagi sighed, stretching out on her bed. She shivered, both from the temperature and her plight as Sailor Moon, her pink flannel pajamas offering little to shield her from the cold that washed over her. "Who is the enemy, Luna? This 'Dark Kingdom'… you said they destroyed the Moon Kingdom, right?" _

"_That's right, Usagi-chan." The black feline stretched out on the table, small 'cricks' sounding as she flexed her back. "They're nothing but pure evil. They shouldn't even exist in this world. They're cruel, heartless monsters. But you've noticed that, haven't you?"_

"_But that guy… the blond… he's human."_

"_I wonder who he is," Luna admitted to her charge. "I feel as though I have seen him before, although where, I cannot remember, nor when. But you must understand this, Usagi: he and anyone else who is serving under Queen Beryl will stop at nothing to turn this world into one of chaos and destruction. They turned the Moon into nothing but an empty place… all that is left of the Kingdom is rubble. We must stop them from destroying this world, too! We need to start looking for your fellow soldiers so that we stand more of a chance!"_

_Usagi sat up and eyed her guardian in curiosity. "You mentioned something like that before…"_

"_You are not the only Senshi, Usagi. There are more; all chosen to protect the universe and the Moon Kingdom from all that threatens to destroy it."_

"_You mean like Tuxedo Kamen? Or Sailor V? That would be SO cool if they were part of our team!"_

"…_I think I may have already found the next scout," Luna stated._

Though she never answered Usagi's question about Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor V, Usagi was, in a sense, glad that she'd have an ally in this fight against the Dark Kingdom. She felt so alone and isolated from everyone else; knowing what threatened Tokyo, and knowing they had no idea about her alter ego… knowing they could be in danger… knowing that she couldn't talk to them about it.

It hurt. She had no way to deal with the pain she felt at seeing her best friends carry on their lives as normal; never having to think once that a youma might appear; never losing sleep because the battles lasted into the night; never having to sneak out of the house at night or cut engagements short. She had gotten the questions: why she's not been sleeping well, why she got detention, why her schoolwork was dropping, why she had to leave all of a sudden at times. It was getting so hard to lie to everyone… to her parents… to Mamoru… to Motoki…

She thought back to the times when she and Motoki had been inseparable: partners in crime, comrades in arms. When Mamoru joined their posse and the three of them caused more mayhem between the two families to last two lifetimes. How she would cry to Mamoru when she was upset. How she would get cookies from Motoki, which he snuck from the arcade. The days when she and Unazuki would do only what girls did: play dress-up. Where had those times gone? And with her best friends in high school with girlfriends and her new-found mission, it had seemed like a lifetime since she spent time with the two boys: just the three of them. At school she would either be in the library making up on the schoolwork she hadn't done because of an attack or just sitting quietly at lunch out of fatigue – or in the classroom with detention.

It was the fact that she had to be brave for everyone else's sake that affected her most of all. Usagi felt so much about her burdens, and the fact that she couldn't talk to any of her friends about her caused her to be distant; to cry herself to sleep at night with the overwhelming situation she was in and to distance herself from everyone. She heard the whispers at school: Tsukino Usagi, best friend to two of the hottest and most intelligent guys at the elite Moto Azabu High School, arriving late to school and falling asleep in class. Chirpy Usagi: quiet and not stuffing her face at lunchtime. Usagi hadn't done her homework; Usagi got a detention; Usagi… wasn't Usagi.

Where in the last month had her sense of normalcy gone? She never realized how much people had paid attention to the way she acted, the grades she got. And she missed it. She missed the boring monotony of school. She missed the long afternoons in the arcade with her friends, uninterrupted by a youma attack. She missed sleep at night. She even missed homework for Selene's sake! _For once, during these weeks, I just want something NORMAL to happen! Something to happen to me that isn't Sailor Moon or youma related! Just ONCE! To go through something without a youma leaping out of the bushes and ambushing someone!_

She was so caught up in her funk that she didn't notice the person rounding the corner until it was too late. She collided head first into someone's chest, the impact of which sending her to the concrete sidewalk.

"Owwww…" she groaned, wincing at the pain in her backside. _I'm not gonna be able to sit down for a week…_

"Are you alright?"

At the sound of a masculine voice she looked up to see a boy with unruly chestnut hair and brown eyes. He wore a light yellow shirt and white cargo pants; a small hoop earring in his left ear. He was tall, like Motoki and Mamoru, but much more boyish looking.

_Oh, dear God_, Usagi thought, _please let me die of embarrassment right now. A klutz attack in front of a cute guy!_

"Y-yeah…" she stammered, taking the hand which he had held out for her to assist her back upright. She dusted off her skirt and he picked up her purse from the sidewalk.

"Sorry about that," the boy said, holding the back of his head with one hand in mild embarrassment, the other handing Usagi her purse. "I'm sorta new around here. Ishioka Kei's the name. My father and I just moved here from Osaka," he explained, flashing a million dollar smile, and Usagi could feel the blood rush slightly to her cheeks. "And may I ask the name of such a beautiful young woman as yourself?"

"Tsukino Usagi."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Tsukino-san." Usagi could hear a ringing from his pants and he pulled out a cell phone. Kei checked the screen and sighed. "I'm afraid I have to go now, but I _do _hope I'll see you in future," he told her with a wink. "Sayonara, Tsukino-san."

"Sayonara, Ishioka-san."

"Please, call me Kei." And with that he left. Usagi rounded the corner she came from before squealing in happiness.

_Finally! Something good is happening in my life! Things are finally looking my way!_

If only she knew…

* * *

Monday, May 31st. 4 o'clock at the Crown Arcade

"You got a 30?!"

Two high school boys stared in complete and utter shock as their best friend tried to hide her face from view, focusing on her chocolate milkshake so she could avoid the disappointment she knew would be creeping into their faces. "It was a hard test! And I hate English…" she reasoned, knowing it wasn't true. She was good at English; at least everyone thought so. And she didn't mind it so much… but she just had no time to study for it. The night before the exam – the Sunday a week ago, there had been a youma attack on a talent show at the town hall. She had gone into the exam half asleep and with only an inkling of knowledge regarding the topic that she was supposed to write about. Haruna had given the exam back asking if she had felt okay the day of the exam, but what was she supposed to say?

"_Sorry, Sakurada-sensei, but I didn't get a wink of sleep last night because I pranced around in a revealing fuku fighting monsters and protecting our dear city from the evil throes of the Dark Kingdom, a group of non-humans who wish for universal domination…"_

It sounded stupid, even if it _was_ true.

Tuxedo Kamen hadn't even showed up that night. That hurt her the most; she thought if anything happened during a battle she could always count on him to bail her out. It was obvious he wasn't so reliable after all when Luna had to push her away from a shower of ice, the feline taking the freeze attack for her. In a bout of anger at watching her turn into a catsicle she threw her tiara at the youma, turning her into a pile of dust. It was the first time she had felt completely alone during her battles as Sailor Moon. Usagi was afraid to imagine what would happen if the youma got her too.

"OI!" Odango!"

She jolted out of her seat, the milkshake glass slipping from her hand and toppling on the counter. She looked wistfully at her fallen drink, the milk and ice cream pouring onto the marble surface.

Mamoru swallowed in guilt upon looking at the crestfallen expression of Usagi. "I-I'm sorry, Usagi-chan… I shouldn't have yelled… Motoki, get her another –" a small hand was pressed against his mouth. Usagi sighed, her fingers against his lips as she continued to stare at the glass. Meiko looked over from the other side of Mamoru and glared first at the fingers pressed against _her_ boyfriend's mouth, then at the offending blonde. The said blonde stood up from her seat and dropped her hand.

"It's okay… I didn't really feel like having one anyway…" she replied airily before turning to the Sailor V game. The two brothers looked at each other worriedly. _Usagi, refusing a free chocolate milkshake?_

"And I know what you're thinking," Usagi called from the game console. "Yes, I'm refusing a free shake, and no, I'm not dieting."

Mamoru sighed in frustration as he watched the fourteen-year-old return to her game. _What the hell is going on, Usagi? I know something's wrong; you can't hide it very well. Why won't you tell us?_

"Mamoru…"

He looked pensively at the stool which was now empty beside him. _First my life goes wacko with this while 'Tuxedo Kamen' business… then I start getting weird dreams… and now Usagi's acting weird! Next I'm going to find out that she really _is_ Sailor Moon!_ He thought about the possibility._ Nah. Impossible. _

"Mamoru…"

_I wonder if Sailor Moon's okay… that last battle was nasty. 'Chaneelas'. I'm glad Usagi didn't get one. Then again, she's already got Luna. Where'd she get her from, anyway? _

"_Mamoru…_"

_I don't really know much of what's been going on in her life lately… do I? Some best friend I am… Dammit! I wish she'd just let me help!_

"MAMORU!"

"WHAT?!"

SQUELCH.

Mamoru looked down to see his once pristine, flawless, light-blue blazer…

Soaked to the elbow…

In thick…

Cold…

Chocolate…

Milk.

"Kuso!" He swore harshly, grabbing several napkins from the dispenser and wiped as much of the liquid as he could off his sleeve.

Motoki sighed while Meiko tittered. "I tried to warn you, Mamoru-kun… but you just weren't listening, you space case." He grinned and shook his head, looking at the soiled blazer. "It's not like you to mess things up, dear brother of mine."

"Ha ha," the raven-haired boy replied dryly, picking up the glass from the counter. "Just dispense with the lame jokes and get me a towel, would you?"

Motoki turned to the cupboard behind him and the arcade doors opened However when Motoki turned to greet the customer he stopped and dropped the towel, his jaw following suit.

"What is it?" Mamoru questioned, frowning at the look of pure shock on his brother's face, before turning around to see what had him in such a stupor.

* * *

"Ahhh! I lost again!" Usagi sighed as Sailor V fell to the floor. She pulled out another quarter when someone tapped her on the shoulder and she gasped, jumping visibly from her seat.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya like that, babe."

She turned to see a pair of chestnut eyes and a rakish towering over her before promptly blushing and smiling shyly. "Kei-san!" She extended her hand in a greeting. "I haven't seen you since we bumped into each other… literally. How've you been?"

"Settling in," he replied, taking her hand. "But it's nice to see you after our last meeting." However, instead of shaking her hand he brought her hand to his lips and placed a butterfly kiss on her knuckles. Usagi turned red and opened and closed her mouth dumbly, incapable of speech as her heart pounded against her ribcage, desperate to get out. "That's Juuban Junior High's uniform, isn't it?"

"Yeah… eighth-grader… I don't recognise that uniform you're wearing," she admitted, taking in the midnight blue double-breasted blazer and pants.

"Oh, this? This is my old school's uniform. I just enrolled in Juuban High today…" he sighed as he sat down at the King of Fighters console next to Usagi. "It's a bit of a waste – I'm in my last year."

"You're in your senior year?"

"Yeah…"

"Wow… so you're like… old."

He laughed. "I hope not too old in your opinion…" he told her, closing to whisper into her ear. "Because it would ruin my chances with someone like you."

CRASH.

"Mamoru-san!"

Usagi's ears perked up at the sound of that name from Meiko and she looked up from the console to see Mamoru swearing, looking down at his hand, and she gasped at the streaks of red flowing out of his hand and onto the tiles floor along with shards of glass and chocolate milk. She got up and rushed over to him, getting the wet towel Motoki offered and pressing it to the cuts in his hand, feeling him shudder as he hissed in pain. "Silly Mamoru-kun… you're so careless sometimes…"

Too busy tending to his wounds she was completely oblivious to two pairs of glaring eyes – a pair of jealous emerald eyes directed at her and a piercing azure look of pure anger shot over to the boy at the arcade game she had vacated seconds before.

* * *

Ahhhh half-yearly exams are finally over!! Eight hours worth of maths exams! EIGHT! So hopefully now that it's holidays I can get a few chapters done… if the mental blocks are nice and take a long leave of absence.

So who's Kei, you might ask… and what's his purpose? Well, that's a question for later! Please R&R!

- PazaakGirl


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N:**NANI?!?! It's been four months since I last updated? I'm so sorry!! I can't believe that it's already August!!! I have trials already!! I HAVE THE HSC IN TWO MONTHS!!!!! HOLY MOTHER OF – Ahem… pardon me.

I'm not sure if my writing style has changed… it wouldn't surprise me if it had… I've had this chapter half-finished for a good four months, so my writing's probably different halfway, though I probably wouldn't be able to tell. Hehe. Used Andrew, Darien and Rita as names in my English exam today. (August 6)

Anyway, I'm really sorry I couldn't update sooner… it's only a few weeks 'til the end of trials, so I'll be able to get back on it, hopefully… (amongst everything else in my list of "Things to do after trials," which includes drawing my Naruto one-shot parody, redesigning my blog layout, cleaning my room, organising a book of quotes for my math teachers (long story), finishing all the notes I still haven't managed to do, and getting back on the fanfiction… not to mention READING HARRY POTTER! Oh my God I've been SUFFERING!! My MUM read it before me, how depressing… you don't understand, I am ALWAYS the first to read the next book we get! sniffle)

And, of course, after HSC, it's 5 months of sweet, sweet relaxation until University… so plenty of time to get all 53 chapters written.

To make up for all my lost time, I've posted a bunch of chapters for you, and this marks the end of my trials… so as you can see, I wrote this author's note ahead of time. Nice and long, too. Enjoy!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 8 – More than just a blue-haired nerd.**

* * *

The pigeons scattered as the seventeen-year-old jogged down the footpath in the local park. The sun was just rising, making its ascent over the horizon. The smell of cherry-blossoms in full bloom permeated through the air, several pink and red petals fluttering down, some falling on his head and entangling with his raven locks. His breathing began to deepen as he exhaled heavily with every few strides. Sweat began to bead his forehead and the bangs which refused to rest anywhere else other than over his brow clung to his skin due to the moisture. He could feel his joints protesting; his muscles burning with the consistent work they were doing, and every time he flexed his arms and hand muscles his left hand would twitch in pain. But he kept running. He had to.

If he didn't, the thoughts he was trying to escape would come back… and he wasn't comfortable with them.

Finally stopping at the rose gardens, he caught his breath before looking down at the bandaged hand he possessed in frustration. _What in the hell compelled me to act like that?_

He thought back to the previous day and what had transpired.

_Motoki turned to the cupboard behind him and the arcade doors opened. However when Motoki turned to greet the customer, he stopped and dropped the towel, his jaw following suit._

"_What is it?" Mamoru questioned, frowning at the look of pure shock on his brother's face, before turning around to see what had him in such a stupor._

_Next to Usagi was a tall boy with brown hair and equally brown eyes. Leaning over her, he tapped her shoulder and she jumped and turned around, before… _was she BLUSHING?! _Mamoru gripped the glass as he stared daggers at the boy, Meiko beside him watching the teenage girl and her new companion in interest as Motoki just continued to dumbly open and shut his mouth like a goldfish._

What the hell are you doing hanging around my best friend?! _Mamoru thought, but what annoyed him the most was that she seemed to ENJOY it! Guys like that who blatantly hit on her she usually backed away from discreetly, saying she wasn't interested. The boy kissed her hand and Mamoru's grip on the glass tightened as he watched Usagi go completely red and imitate Motoki as the boy sat down. She made a comment and he laughed, before whispering into her ear._

_CRASH._

"_Fuck!" he swore, the expletive coming out with a hiss of pain. The glass had exploded in his hand and shards of glass rained down, while some embedded themselves into his hand, the sharp edges cutting his palm and letting streams of blood flow out._

"_Mamoru-san!" Meiko shrieked, as she saw the damage he had inflicted on himself. Mamoru just looked down at his left hand, too shocked at what he had done and why he had done it, to do anything about it. He could feel the blood running down his hand and onto the tiles, joining the glass fragments. He saw a flash of blonde in the corner of his eyes and looked up to see his best friend now before him, wincing as she pressed a wet towel to his hand. Mamoru heard Usagi mutter "Silly Mamoru-kun… you're so careless sometimes…" to him. He hadn't paid much attention to her words, however; he had shifted his gaze and was too busy glaring at the boy who wouldn't stop eyeing Usagi with a glint in his eyes that he just didn't trust._

He sighed as he pulled off the bandage to inspect the damage. There were small scabs and a long cut along one of his palm lines. Though it was no longer bleeding, it still hurt like hell. He brushed the fingers of his unharmed hand over the wounds.

His eyes widened.

Gold sparks were emitted from his hands and seemed to move towards the wounds on his palm, and he felt a tingling in his blood. He flinched as small pricks of pain were generated around the wounds and watched in astonishment as they slowly got smaller and smaller until the sparks faded… as did his wounds. He stared in amazement as he flipped his hand around back and forth, looking completely intact and leaving no evidence that he had cut his hand by shattering a glass in his hand.

_What the hell just happened?!_

* * *

"Look at her! She's just standing there like she owns the place!"

"Yeah, she never talks to anyone… what, are we not good enough for her?"

"Are you kidding? A nerd like her, she probably doesn't have a life."

Whispers amongst the students were the first things Usagi heard upon arriving at school that day. She walked up to her friends with Unazuki and looked at them quizzically. "Yumiko-chan, what's going on?"

The brunette leaned in to whisper in her ear. "There's this new transfer student in our grade. She's supposed to be this girl genius with an IQ of 300, and she passed all the entrance exams with a full score!"

"Her name's Mizuno Ami, and her mother's a doctor!" the ever-informed Umino piped up. "Not only did she ace our entrance exams, but she was top in nationwide mock exams for Junior High! She's been deemed a prodigy by several academics in Tokyo!"

"Since she came in today she just walks around with this snooty air around her, as if she's analysing all of us. She probably thinks she's too good for us with her intellect," Kuri added.

_Anti-social intellect_. That personality trait reminded her of Mamoru, and how lonely he had been before they met him all those years ago. If Ami chose not to talk to others then there must have been a reason for it. "Surely she can't be that bad…" Usagi reasoned, and to prove her point, she walked right up to the girl in question. She was standing by the window, short blue hair distinct amongst the crowd of faces throughout the corridor. "Hey!" she greeted the girl. "You new here?" Usagi questioned, much to the shock of her friends and peers standing ten feet away.

The girl turned towards Usagi and eyed her warily, her gaze shifting between Usagi and her friends behind her. "Yes I am," she replied coolly.

"Well that's cool," Usagi said, aware of the tension filling the air between Ami and the students. "Mizuno Ami, right? My name's Tsukino Usagi. Nice to meet you."

The girl stared at the hand that Usagi extended, then glanced around her before her eyes became cold. She slapped the hand away and glared at Usagi. "You think that it's funny trying to bring all this attention to me? Think again."

"Hey!" Usagi shouted indignantly. "I'm trying to be polite here."

Her eyes became an even darker and more menacing shade of blue. "Thanks, but it's not necessary. I don't need to make friends. Don't act like you want to be close to me or anything." She turned away and left as the school bell rang, and Usagi simply stood there frowning, not caring that people were bumping into her to hurry to class.

_What the hell is her problem?_

* * *

Contemplating what happened at school, Usagi stirred the straw to her chocolate milkshake absent-mindedly. Mamoru frowned at her over the edge of his coffee cup as he waited for her to say something. "Usagi-chan… are you going to tell me anything?" He waited for a reply which never came. "…Odango?" He leaned in, studying her features as he watched her brow scrunch up in concentration. "Are you even listening to me?" She wasn't breathing strongly, almost as though she had stopped breathing altogether. She hadn't swallowed for several minutes, and her hand rotated the straw slightly more mechanically than before. Her eyes seemed focused on a particular spot on the marble counter, and Mamoru knew that could only mean one thing.

Usagi was completely spaced out.

"OI! Odango Atama!" He called right into her ear, waving a hand before her, obstructing her vision. Instead of the usual shriek, jump from the seat and topple of the milkshake glass, she merely blinked and her eyes had that more attentive look in her eyes. She looked at him inquisitively before understanding dawned on her that she had utterly ignored him for several minutes.

"Gomen, Mamoru-kun…"

"Daijoubu desu ka? You just sat there staring into space for a good long time…" he pressed a hand to her forehead. "Well you're not sick… something up?"

"No… not really… it's just…" she bit her bottom lip, thinking of how to form the words to explain the situation. "I've never met someone I couldn't make friends with before." Turning to Mamoru and seeing he was not going to say anything to interrupt her, she continued. "There's this new girl at school. Everyone's gossiping about her saying she's a spoiled and snobby brat, and I didn't want to believe them because they don't even know her. But when I said hello, she blew me off completely… and I'm starting to think that maybe they're right."

Mamoru murmured thoughtfully, tracing the edge of the coffee cup absent-mindedly. "What do you know about her?"

"She's smart, and studies a lot. Her mom's a doctor, and she's a complete genius. Doesn't like to have a lot of attention, and doesn't interact much with people." She giggled. "Kinda like you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, now…"

"Yeah… except she's cold, like ice. Something about her just gave me weird vibes."

"I know what you mean," he replied, staring past her, though Usagi was oblivious to it until she saw the hand on his coffee cup start to pale around the knuckles as his grip intensified.

"Mamoru? You're going to break another one of Motoki's cups at this rate…" she commented as she sipped from her straw, relishing in chocolate milkshake.

Mamoru looked down to see the endangered ceramic and loosened his grip, but he looked up grimly at the entrance of the arcade as he watched the figure swagger arrogantly towards them.

"Hey, beautiful. Fancy seeing you here again."

Usagi whipped around to see a pair of amused brown eyes looking down on her and a boyish grin on the lips of a tall and tanned boy.

"Kei-san! That _is_ funny that we keep bumping into each other – oh!" she gasped as she motioned towards the upperclassman behind her. "I forgot to introduce you guys the last time! This is Chiba Mamoru, my best friend. Mamoru-kun, this is Ishioka Kei."

"Nice to meet you." Kei replied taking the hand that Mamoru had offered out of politeness. Usagi smiled, not seeing the way they glared at each other and gripped hands menacingly: Mamoru as a threat and Kei in mockery. Letting go of his hand, Kei turned back to Usagi. "So should I stop by the arcade more often if I want to see this beautiful girl more often?"

Usagi flushed in embarrassment, while Mamoru coughed to hide the sarcastic remark he was tempted to throw at the intruder. "You flatter me too much…"

Kei laughed. "I flatter you too little, I think." He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, before Mamoru coughed again. Righting himself, he looked pointedly at Mamoru. "Something wrong, Chiba-san?"

"Nothing at all," he replied coolly. "By the way, Usagi-chan, aren't you supposed to finish off that assignment you have due tomorrow?"

"CRAP! I FORGOT!" Usagi exclaimed, standing up abruptly – so much that she lost her balance and fell head first into Kei. Kei wrapped his arms around her as she turned an even deeper shade of red. He eyed Mamoru smugly, as if taunting him to say something. Mamoru in the mean time fought with himself mentally not to make a comment.

_She's fourteen, she's in middle school, she's your best friend, not your sister… she can make decisions for herself, she's allowed to have a social life… get your hands off Usagi. I swear to God, if I ever see you hitting on her in front of me again… Mamoru, she's not your girlfriend. Don't get jealous just because someone else teases her, or catches her when she falls, or gets her attention for more than five minutes… I said GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF USAGI. If you don't right now, I am going to tear you to shreds with a hundred steel-tipped roses and burn the remains. There won't be anything left for Motoki or Kenji to attack if they catch you… No one will know you ever existed…_

Chuckling as though sensing that last rumination he let go of Usagi, letting her right herself. "I guess you better do that assignment."

"Yeah, I guess I should…"

"Well," he continued, once again staring at Mamoru pointedly, before returning his gaze to Usagi. "I'll be sure to drop in here in future." And as an additional taunt he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before swaggering back out.

Keeping his hands latched onto the bar stool he sat on, Mamoru glared daggers at the boy before watching Usagi stare dazedly, her fingers playing with her skirt as she comprehended what just happened. "Oi, Odango. Assignment?" he reminded her in annoyance. _She's such a space case sometimes…_

Blinking a few times, she smiled faintly before replying an affirmative, not making a move to head for home. Sighing in frustration he stood up, walking behind the counter before walking back to where she still stood. _If she's not moving within ten seconds she is going to regret it._ He counted slowly, letting his anger which was directed at that Kei person out.

_Three… two… one._

Mamoru sighed, feeling sorry for her and stuck the ice cube down the back of her uniform.

Several of the arcade patrons jumped and shouts of frustration as their characters died could be heard, but primarily drowned out by the shrieks of a teenage girl, who after beating on her best friend for such a 'cruel, horrible and insensitive prank' was pushed out the door and told to do her homework.

"What was that all about?!"

Mamoru turned around to see his brother holding a glass and a tea towel and staring at him incredulously. He shrugged nonchalantly. "She needed a wake up call. Did you not see her staring blankly and standing stiff as a post?"

"Well, sure," Motoki agreed, "… but an _ice cube?_"

"To cool herself off. She was going so red in the face I thought she'd faint," he explained, sitting back down at the counter before scowling. "I don't trust that guy."

His adoptive brother sighed and sat next to him, finishing off the shake Usagi had left. "Usagi doesn't seem to have a problem with him… she seems to like him, as a matter of fact."

"What's there to like about him?" he grumbled. "I certainly don't like him. I don't like that look in his eyes. I don't like the way he acts so arrogantly. He wants something, Motoki, and I don't think it's honourable. The way he looks at her… I want to gouge his eyes out."

"Mamoru, isn't that going too far?"

"Nope."

"Come off it! Seriously, what would Usagi-chan think if you attacked any guy that comes near her? Isn't that the question you should be asking: would she be okay with that?"

"No, the question is, are YOU okay with this?" he snapped back. "Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you don't think he's up to no good?"

Motoki sat staring at the empty glass, not sure whether he agreed with Mamoru or not.

* * *

_Stupid Mamoru-baka… he didn't have to go that far. And what's the deal with pushing me out of the arcade like that? Geez… he can get so wound up sometimes…_

Grumbling about the wet uniform shirt Usagi walked home, plotting a hundred ways to get her revenge at Mamoru. "Who does he think he is, shoving ice cubes down my top like that? And just when I was having a chat with Kei…" she touched her face to her cheek. _There's something about that kiss… it felt…_

A flash of blue caught her attention and Usagi turned to see Ami in an adjoining street. Determined to give it another try she called out to her, running her way. "Ami-san!"

Ami turned around and frowned at the odango-haired girl. "What is it?" she shot back.

"Hey, chill out, will you? I just want to be friends with you. Drop the tough act for just a moment, will you? Geez, you're so anti-social it's not funny."

Ami turned her back to her but remained where she stood. "Why do you care?" she whispered harshly. "You don't know what it's like."

Usagi titled her head in confusion. "What what's like?"

"I had people I called friends, once," Ami replied quietly but in the same hard tone. "But they only cared about what they could get out of me. How do you know how it feels to only be known and wanted as a nerd, someone to give others the shortcuts to things they aren't bothered to figure out?"

"Ami, that's not what I –"

"How do you think it feels to never be asked to go out with someone, to never be spoken to unless it's about a question someone's stuck on?" Ami spat. "For three years I tolerated being a friend of convenience, hoping one day I'd get more than math problems. Then one day I hear people whispering that all I do is study. That I have no life, no social-skills and no real friends. I get taunted, teased and isolated at school, and even transferring here the same rumours go around. Well you know what? I'll take all of your crap. I don't need to feel neglected or broken anymore. I don't need people's preconceptions to weigh me down. And I sure as hell don't need you pretending to want to be my friend."

"But Ami–"

"Just leave me alone." Ami ran off, not giving Usagi a second to respond. Usagi sighed in frustration and moved to head home before she noticed something red on the footpath. Usagi noticed it was a floppy disc. She yelled out to the receding figure once more to try and grab her attention, but to no avail. Deciding she'd give the disc back the next day, she bent down to pick it up.

When she touched it, however, she shuddered. Something about it just didn't feel right. It had felt cold, and it had hurt Usagi in that brief amount of contact. Frowning, she pocketed it, thinking of asking Luna about it when she got home.

* * *

"Well, Motoki?"

Motoki frowned as his adopted brother pestered him for the fourth time in fifteen minutes about 'that guy he just didn't trust.' "Mamoru, I keep telling you, it's up to her."

Mamoru sighed, admitting defeat. If _Motoki_ said it would be okay… he guessed he should try to let it go. But that nagging feeling in his heart continued to bother him. Something told him that he was making a big mistake in dropping the matter…

* * *

"Isn't this someone _else's_ property, Usagi-chan? Do you think you should be snooping through the files?"

"I know it's bad, Luna, but I'm getting really weird vibes about this thing." She reasoned as she switched the PC on. "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about it."

"You said that the new student was carrying this?"

"Yeah, she dropped it," Usagi reminded her. She eyed the floppy warily. It was a plain red, with only five words scrawled neatly on the label.

_Mizuno Ami_

_Crystal Cram School_

But there were no hints as to the content of the disk. Plopping the disk into the drive she waited for the computer to detect the contents, and opening the file she read as _Study Planner_ she yelped as the computer screen snowed over. Ear piercing static could be hurt and she covered her ears in pain, Luna doing the same as she yelped in shock.

The coverage did little to drown out the awful noise, however, but through the muffled high pitches they could hear the unmistakable voice of a familiar person as Jadeite's silhouette appeared on the screen.

"Welcome, human… you are to find Sailor Moon and kill her, and serve the Dark Kingdom in their quest for universal domination. Wreak havoc on the Earth and surrender your energy to the great Metallia! Soon the Dark Kingdom will find the ginzuishou, and you, loyal servant, shall bow down to Queen Beryl…"

Usagi began to feel dizzy as the words of her enemy droned on in her ears. Feeling her eyes droop she willed herself to try and stay away, but it was so tempting to sleep and let the voice drone on… Little by little she inched closer to the floor, desperate to find a more comfortable position…

"Surrender your energy…"

Then all she heard was silence and she snapped her eyes open as soft paws prodded her forehead.

When she finally gained some of her senses back she noticed Luna before her with the electric plug in her grasp, her mouth holding onto the cord as she looked at Usagi worriedly.

"Daijoubu ka?" she asked.

Usagi nodded an affirmative and sat up slowly, feeling her strength return. Pulling the damned floppy out of her computer she stared at it in disgust, before throwing it across her room in anger.

"Ami had a thing like that! Dammit! That bitch… she has to be from the Dark Kingdom, Luna! The way she was acting towards me all day… her anti-socialness… not to mention she's a damn genius. There's no one in the world smarter than Mamoru-kun! And her sudden transfer… it has to be!"

Surprisingly proud that her charge had come up with the conclusion on her own, she seemed to consider this option. "Demo, Usagi-chan… she _is _a human. It's likely that she simply fell victim to the programming."

"Perhaps…" Usagi admitted, "but either way, this needs investigating."

* * *

Standing before the Crystal Cram School Usagi peered into the windows. The front desk was vacant and it seemed the lights were off. She opened the door slightly and felt chills run up her spine.

And it most _definitely_ wasn't the air-conditioning.

Stepping inside she checked the directory for the ninth grade cramming class, then proceeded up the stairs and venturing down the corridor, following the instructions on the map.

"It's quiet, Luna."

"Of_course_, Usagi-chan. It's a study session."

"Iie, I mean it's REALLY quiet… I don't hear any computers, or pencils, or anything. The silence is almost… deathly."

Suddenly a door opened before her and she yelped, losing balance as she tried to avoid the offending object and falling flat on her rear. Wincing in pain she looked up to see… "Yumiko?" she called, but the girl didn't hear a think. Turning down the way Usagi came the blonde was shocked to see the sunken eyes of her friend and her pale complexion. Her eyes were glazed and stared with a vacancy completely uncharacteristic of the normally enthusiastic and mischievous girl. Usagi tried calling out again, but she continued to walk away in ignorance, muttering to herself.

"Energy… must… surrender…"

Anger seethed through Usagi as she realised the implications of the image before her. Ami wasn't like that at school, nor when she saw her later on. And if she heard right, she was a regular at the cram school. If she looked like she was completely fine… yet Yumiko changed into something akin to a zombie in only the space of a few hours… there was no other explanation. Usagi nearly tore the door down as she yanked it open before it shut on her, and scanned the study tables. Several of the students looked up at the distraction, and though obviously had much more consciousness that Yumiko, still seemed pretty dazed.

A blue haired girl stood from the middle of the pack. "_You__again_?! What is it this time? You're interrupting everyone's study!" she exclaimed vehemently.

"I ought to ask you that, Mizuno," Usagi sneered, despite the protests of the cat behind her, who stared at the blue haired girl with wide eyes. "Don't think I haven't caught onto this scheme of yours. I know what you're up to, and frankly, I don't have the patience to argue with it. On behalf of the moon, you're punished! MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE UP!"

Said schemer looked on in absolute astonishment as the fuku of Sailor Moon materialised onto Usagi. She made her pose and pointed at Ami accusingly. "How dare you play with the minds of those that wish to be a genius like you were known to be! These people work hard to achieve their dreams, get good marks and appease their parents, and yet you have tainted their minds with rubbish about ME! I am the beautiful sailor-suited soldier, Sailor Moo–"

Her speech was cut off, however, as she saw Ami's eyes widen in fright as a lady with glasses clapped a hand over her mouth. The girl continued to struggle, as the teacher laughed in mockery. "Ami, my dear. Tell me… should I not expect a genius like you to take responsibility for the class for at least five minutes? And why have you not succumbed to the programming? Someone as intelligent and studious as you should have had no problems trying out new… 'study methods.'"

Sailor Moon looked on in confusion, then horror as Ami's muffled screams were emitted through a mutating hand, and soon the teacher's entire body had morphed into a youma. "I don't believe it…" the Senshi of the Moon whispered… "Ami _wasn't_ from the Dark Kingdom?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you, Usagi-chan!" Luna reprimanded. "Baka! She's not the enemy! She's –"

What she was, though, Sailor Moon didn't get to find out as the youma threw weapons at her. Barely dodging, she looked up from her crouched spot to see… test papers?

_Aww man… fighting the Dark Kingdom's bad enough… now I've gotta_think_ as well?!_

The youma cackled. "I'm going to give you a little test, Sailor Moon. Answer questions right, and I'll throw more test papers at you. Get one wrong, and this girl dies," she laughed, pulling Ami into a tighter lock, Ami clawing at the arm around her neck, trying to get some air.

"EHH?" she exclaimed, her silver pigtails flying up into the air with the jerking motion of her head. "That's unfair!"

"NO COMPLAINTS, OR YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO MARK! Question one: state Newton's three laws of motion!"

_Oh, SHIT! _Usagi cussed internally. _I can't think at a time like this… Newton, Newton… what's Mamoru always mouthing off about when he studies…_

"Inertia!" Knowing that wasn't the complete law, she gulped, then shrieked as more razor sharp test papers were sent her way. She cried out, feeling a searing pain in her arm. _At least it was right,_ she mused wryly.

"I'm still waiting on two!"

Knowing now that she didn't confuse Newton with Einstein ("Damn Mamoru for his damned physics," she grumbled), she screamed out, "Force is equal to the mass of the object times the acceleration!" More papers were sent her way and this time she dodged with ease as she clutched her arm, having been prepared for the onslaught. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction!" and once again she jumped out of harm's way. She sighed in relief.

"Question two…"

_Aww, shit._

"State the Law of Conservation of Energy."

"What the hell is with all the Physics questions?!" Sailor Moon muttered, scowling, before reciting the definition off the top of her head. "Energy –"

"Energy is neither created nor destroyed in a reaction, but is merely changed from one form of energy into another."

"Dammit Mizuno, STAY OUT OF THIS!" Usagi screamed. For God's sake, that damn transfer student was showing her up. Usagi! The girl with the smartest guys in Azabu as her tutors!

The youma agreed with the Senshi, but now focused its attention on the girl she held hostage. "And you…" she spat. "Why did you not fall to the brainwashing? All that precious energy in that mind of yours… how did you resist it?" it yelled, thrusting her face at a computer screen.

Ami groaned as her head was unceremoniously smacked against the monitor. "You think I need advice on studying? On how to manage my time? This is all I've ever done in my entire life! I've got nothing else in life. I don't need help from anyone on how to do what I've always been doing!"

"Why you…"

The youma screamed as a black cat pounced on her and scratched at its eyes, releasing Ami, who fell onto the floor, gasping for air. Landing neatly next to her, Luna handed a pen to Ami, ordering her to take it. Not even registering that a cat had just done the unfathomable and spoken to her, she grabbed it without thinking, and a blue insignia burned onto her forehead, before blue light enveloped the room. Usagi shielded her eyes, and when she felt it safe to open them, saw nothing but fog.

She shivered at the coldness, and tried to feel her way through the rows upon rows of desks. "Luna?" she called out desperately, and tried again, not hearing a response. "Luna?"

"No one's going to save you, Sailor Moon…"

She shrieked as two green eyes shone through the mist, glaring at her in mockery. "Die!" it called out, throwing more papers towards her. Sailor Moon held her arms up to shield her, before feeling herself be scooped up and pulled out of danger.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" a male voice whispered.

Peering up cautiously her eyes met with those of an equally intense blue. "Tuxedo Kamen…" he helped her find her footing before she leapt into his arms. "Arigatou… Arigatou…"

He patted her back awkwardly, smiling. "That's alright," he replied, "though I think there are more important matters at hand here…"

Sailor Moon pulled away and nodded, trying to pinpoint just where the youma was. Finding those green eyes she pulled off her tiara.

"Moon Tiara, ACTION!"

A screeched could be heard as the youma exploded into dust, the force disturbing and clearing the mist. Usagi sighed in relief, and scanned the rows. The life in people's faces was returning, Luna sat on a monitor looking happy, and Ami was…

… in a fuku?

"Sailor Moon, meet Sailor Mercury," Luna addressed the new Senshi, who was staring down at her clothes in a disbelief that matched the look on Usagi's face. A hand touched her shoulder and she turned around to see Tuxedo Kamen gaze intently at her. Arms pulled her towards him and her entire length was pressed against him as he rubbed the small of her back before kissing her cheek, causing her to turn an interesting shade of red.

"Good job today," he whispered, caressing her cheek, before releasing her, running to the window and disappearing.

Confused at the affection she felt for that brief moment, she turned back to Sailor Mercury and tension filled the air, and Usagi wondered what was going to happen now.

* * *

Jadeite cursed as he looked through the fire, glaring at the new Senshi. More problems to add to his list. First that damn Moon, then Tux-boy… now this. He extinguished the fire with a snap of his fingers and sighed, sitting down on the granite chair in his chambers. Queen Beryl was losing patience, that much he knew. Every one of his attempts had been foiled by that damn Senshi. He was doing so well, too.

A young, boyish laugh was heard from the doorway. "Beaten again, Jadeite?"

"Shut up," he retorted as Zoisite entered the room, clucking his tongue at him. _This is the last thing I need_, the blond thought, seething with frustration.

"Aww, what's wrong? Being a sore loser? Those ladies got you good this time!"

"Just whose side are you on, little brother? I'm shocked to hear you complementing them." Jadeite glared daggers at his younger brother, the brat of the four generals.

"It's hardly a compliment," he remarked in amusement. "What with that short temper of yours and that brash impulsiveness, it isn't hard to get one up on you. Why don't you let me take over this mission, hmm? Let Zoisite relieve onii-san of his worries…"

"Go away, ototo. I am going to have my revenge."

* * *

"So Ami is Sailor Mercury…"

Usagi and the blue-haired girl stood in awkward silence on the roof top of the cram school. Both refusing to meet each other's gaze, she chose to stare down at the city scape whilst Ami looked down at her fuku, still slightly in shock at the revelation. Luna frowned at the two in intense disapproval.

"Come on, you two! Whatever happened is in the past. What we now have on our plates is far greater than some childish teenage squabble!"

_And how does she expect us to just get over what happened today? She was a downright bitch for most of the day, and I accused her of being the enemy. That's a lot to forgive._ Thinking about it more, she wondered if Ami really was to blame for her attitude. After all, if those 'friends' from her past hadn't ditched her like that…_Reminds me of someone else I know that's hopelessly anti-social,_ Usagi reaffirmed in her mind, chuckling mentally. _He had Motoki and I, and he opened out a little… maybe… if she had someone to show her that friendship… she wouldn't be so cold… she wouldn't be known as just a nerd with no friends… _Looking down at the fuku, she smiled softly to herself.

_She'd be someone who'd go share these burdens with me… I won't be alone…_

"Ano… Usagi-chan?"

She looked up in surprise as the blue Senshi shifted uncomfortably. A blush formed on her cheeks and she stuttered for a while, unsure of how to phrase what she wanted.

"I'm sorry."

Ami and Luna looked up in shock at the silver-haired Senshi. "Demo, Usagi-chan… you didn't do anything. This was all my fault in the first place! If I hadn't been so mean to you –"

"All the more reason why I should apologise. It's hardly expected that you should've acted that way towards me, considering your past… but I'm serious, Ami-chan. I want to be your friend. I don't take my friendships lightly. When you're friends with Usagi, your friends for life!" she declared proudly, extending her hand in the same manner from earlier in the day. She sighed with relief when, this time, Ami took it earnestly.

"Arigatou, Usagi-chan."

Usagi pounced onto the girl, who yelped in fright as she was squeezed into a bear hug. Usagi rested her head on Ami's shoulder as she hugged tighter. "Usagi-chan… Usagi-chan… I can't breathe…" Ami laughed heartily, and Luna smiled at the pair, neither of them noticing the tears streaming down Usagi's face, scrunched up in relief and happiness.

_Finally… finally someone who can understand what I have to go through…_

* * *

August 7: How can someone who likes to write hate English so much? Paper 2 tomorrow… have to write three essays… and I know shit-all. Life's just not fair!!! I'm most definitely going to fail. Which is why I stopped studying it and finished this chapter. Hehe.

Finally I've got this chapter finished! Hope the ending wasn't too rushed… I was having trouble writing this chapter, but because people have been complaining I haven't updated (which is true) I just had to finish it. Have I mentioned I hate English? I'll be so glad when tomorrow's over… just have the maths and sciences left… I'm more of a math person anyway. Oh, and that damn English Oral, but that should be okay…

Can't_WAIT_ 'til trials are finally over…

R&R!

– PazaakGirl


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I bought my friend some _Copic_ markers cuz she's an arty friend of mine for her birthday. I was so tempted to keep them to myself for my Naruto one-shot… but oh well. Digital's looking pretty good to me, anyways. And man those things are expensive!!!

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 9 – It's none of your business!**

* * *

June 1st, in Chiba Mamoru's Bedroom

Gasping as he woke abruptly from his sleep, Mamoru placed a hand on his chest, willing his heart to calm down. "Not again", he groaned._Those damn dreams just won't go away._

It was the fifth consecutive night that Mamoru dreamed of the mysterious figure pleading with him to find the 'Ginzuishou.' With no clue as to what it was he beginning to wonder if it had something to do with the Dark Kingdom. The dreams started up not long after they and Sailor Moon appeared, and he was thrusted into all of this chaos. Furrowing his brow he tried to remember the silhouette of the woman. All he could remember was her long hair spilling over her shoulders, and two unmistakable buns atop her head.

"I've been hanging around Odango too much… now she's messing with my dreams." Turning on the light he yawned and rubbed his eyes, cursing the clock as it read 3:05am in the morning. _Dammit, this is such an inconvenient time to wake up._

_Okay, so this person is asking me to find this ginzuishou and bring it to her to set her free. I've got no idea who she is, where she came from, or what this thing does for her. But she knows who I am and is obviously able to communicate with me in my dreams… if she's even real._

And to top it all off, not only did he have this dream to contend with… but a certain sailor-suited Senshi plagued his mind. His mind wandered back to the battle in the cram school… how he had rescued her in the fog… how a new Senshi appeared… how he took her into his arms and kissed her. On the cheek, but nevertheless…

"Dammit," he whispered. "I have a girlfriend for crying out loud… why did I do that?"

Mamoru yelped at the rapping at the window and fell off his bed. Groaning, he sat up, rubbing his forehead before seeing a second silhouette at the window, though this time he knew perfectly well who it was. Getting up, he strode brashly to the door and wrenched the window open, before grabbing a protesting girl by the arms and yanking her into the room.

"What the hell are you doing here? For God's sake, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" he whispered harshly.

She poked her tongue at his. "Bit rich coming from the person who did that not too long ago at _my_ window."

"I was standing on a tree, baka! There's nothing out here to support you! You could've fallen and hurt yourself, or worse!" Outside Mamoru's window was absolutely no footing such as a tree, save for the piping and the occasional brick which protruded from the wall. He remembered he and Motoki were grounded one time for trying to climb those bricks up to his room, and the thought of Usagi trying that very same thing unsupported… "Shimatta, Usagi, you're going to kill me one of these days!"

She scowled, her temper flaring. "Well _fine!_" she whispered harshly. "Here I am coming to see what was wrong, but if you're going to be so ungrateful I'll just leave!"

"Iie!" he protested, grabbing her arm before she made a leap for it. "Don't be stupid! I'm not letting you out there again! You're gonna fall!" he pulled her down to his bed before slumping into the computer chair, panting heavily from the shock and adrenaline. "Why did you say you were here again?" he questioned after regaining his composure.

"Your light was on. I figured something must have been up… it wasn't on before."

"Oh…" he replied, looking down at his hands. "Yeah… I just couldn't sleep. What about you? It's late… have you been up all this time?"

"Yeah… couldn't sleep either, so I figured I'd do some work to bore me out… but it wasn't really working. You sure you're okay?" He laughed softly, shaking his head, and walked to his door, opening it and pulling her out with him. "Because if you aren't," she whispered, "then I'm probably not going to get any sleep because I'll be worrying about you." They marched downstairs and Mamoru unlocked the back door. "We could talk about it; you know, psychoanalyse your mind or something. Find out what latent fantasies are in that head of yours," she teased.

Mamoru pushed her out the door. "I'm fine, Usagi… now get some sleep. You have school today."

"Are you sure?" she asked again in complete seriousness, and he couldn't help but hug the damn girl, a small squeak escaping the small girl as he drew her into his embrace. Losing sleep worrying about him in the middle of the night and knowing something was up because his light was on… risking her life for his wellbeing… she was a damn angel who knew him far too well for his own good. Pulling away he pushed her towards the clubhouse.

"Go. To. Bed."

Sighing, she nodded in resignation, before stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek. "Oyasumi, Mamoru-baka."

"Oyasumi, Odango Atama."

He watched as she walked back down to the study and shut the door, before turning off the light. Shaking his head, he proceeded back up to his room in wonder at her antics. "That girl…"

* * *

The school bell rang and Usagi packed up her books, thankful that the day was finally over and that she could give Ami the grand tour of Juuban. She smiled at the blue-haired girl next to her, who blushed under the intense gazes of the rest of the class. Several classmates stared at the pair in wonder, and upon feeling their gazes she grabbed Ami by the arm and dragged her out of the classroom. 

"Some of those kids seriously need to grow up." She groaned.

"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan," Ami whispered shyly. "I didn't think I'd be a burden on you."

"Iie, Ami-chan! It's not you at all! These guys are just jealous that there's another person besides Umino and I smarter than they are! Don't worry about it!"

The blue-haired Senshi blushed and smiled shyly at the exuberant girl before her, as she was promptly dragged out of the school. Usagi began chatting happily about the places she was going to take her: the mall, the arcade, the park that she frequents, and unfortunately hadn't been paying much attention to where she was going, too busy informing her new friend about the places she was taking her, to hear that the said girl was warning her about what was up ahead until it was too late… and Usagi crashed headlong into another student, sending both her and Ami backwards onto the floor.

"Itai…" Usagi groaned. She looked up to see a red head sprawled on the floor before them. "Naru-chan!" she cried. "Gomen… I didn't see you there."

"That's okay, Usagi-chan," she replied, massaging where she had fallen harshly. "You wanna come over for a bit? Some of the girls are coming over to have a movie marathon."

"Sorry, Naru-chan… Ami and I are going shopping today." The red head looked curiously at the girl behind the odango haired girl, and Ami looked away, uncomfortable under her gaze.

"I see…"

"Maybe another time, okay? See you later!" she grabbed Ami's hand and led the way. "Come on, Ami-chan!"

They headed over to the arcade with Usagi chatting happily, until her conversation died down and she looked into Ami's concerned gaze. "Daijoubu?"

"Usagi-chan…" Ami began. "Was it okay for you to pass up Naru-chan for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… she's one of your best friends, isn't she? And I…I'm still new here… and I was kinda mean to you at the beginning…"

A hand before her told her to stop. "Ami-chan," Usagi replied. "Stop putting yourself in the shadows. I want to be friends with you. And considering who we are, I think it's even more important that we become good friends. I don't want you to feel lonely after what you said life was like in the past. I want to be there for you, the way a real friend should be!" she finished with a smile.

The happiness was infectious. Soon Ami's own lips twisted into a soft smile. "I'd like that…"

"Then stop worrying! Come on! There're two guys I want you to meet!"

* * *

He saw the words before him. Something about DNA strands and recessive genes. But the words just refused to sink in. Chiba Mamoru, the smartest guy at Moto Azabu High School could not pay attention to what he was reading, much less the frustrated brunette beside her. Even his brother was worrying about him, sitting opposite the couple with a frown on his face. 

_Tuxedo Kamen… find the ginzuishou… onegai, help me be free again… set me free…_

The dreams had come again promptly after Usagi left the Furuhata household early that morning. This time she revealed herself to be a princess, though she had failed to disclose to him a name, or where she came from. Something about her felt so familiar to him, and he had been trying all day to figure out why. Vaguely aware of a slight tapping on his shoulder, he ignored it and continued his ruminations.

_The dreams started happening around the time Sailor Moon came… this girl is a princess, who wants me to find the ginzuishou. She needs it to set her free… but why is she asking me? I don't even know her… _

The tapping got stronger, but he continued to ignore it.

_Could it be something from my past? Is that why I'm dreaming about it? But then… why have they only started now? It would make more sense if they had something to do with the attacks that have been happening… I wonder… does Sailor Moon know about this princess?_

It continued. He could hear someone calling out to him but he persisted in ignoring it, getting frustrated at whatever was disturbing his train of thought.

_What is this ginzuishou? What does a crystal have to do with setting her free?_

Soon he felt the book being wrenched out of his grasp and he blinked in confusion as the words blurred and disappeared, before turning to a concerned sandy-haired teenager and an irate brunette.

"It seems you're too preoccupied with your studies, Mamoru-san… so maybe we should just cancel our date."

"M-Meiko-san?" he exclaimed, surprised.

"Well you've been sitting there for a good ten minutes just staring at your book, so there's no point in me hanging around… I'm just going to be ignored for even longer." She stood up and he followed suit, protesting.

"Meiko-san, don't be ridiculous… I'm sorry, alright? Can you blame me for being so immersed in what I was reading?"

She laughed dryly. "Ten minutes on the same page? Please, obviously_something else_ is on your mind right now, and you never decide to tell me what's on your mind, so how about I just let you brood for a little while longer on your own, ne?"

"What's gotten into you?" he queried exasperatedly, but never got an answer.

The bells rang and a loud and chipper voice rang through the arcade. "Mamoru-kun! Motoki-kun! There's someone I want you to meet!"

Instinctively he looked up at the newcomer, his best friend. Meiko glared daggers at the girl and back at Mamoru.

"It seems _someone_ here is able to get your attention." She muttered in resentment.

"Eh?" he replied intelligently, looking back down at his girlfriend. "What was that?"

"Nothing," she whispered, huffing in annoyance as she dropped the book back on the table. "Look… let's just do this some other time." She kissed him on the cheek quickly and sauntered out of the arcade, not skipping a beat as she brushed harshly against Usagi, almost causing the girl to stumble backward. Mamoru looked on incredulously as he watched her walk on, a scowl on her face, and as Usagi stood there with a look of shock on her face he sighed.

_Maybe these dreams are trying to tell me something about Meiko… it wouldn't surprise me…_

It was no secret that Meiko was jealous of his and Usagi's relationship. That he'd listen to his Odango attentively without the slightest glance at the book of the day he was holding. But he couldn't help it. They were best friends. He grew up with her, and they knew each other inside out. He knew everything there was to know about her, and she him, bar one important factor regarding his alter ego. He gave her his full attention whenever she was speaking to him, just as she did for him. Of _course_ he'd be paying more attention to her… it made perfect sense, he reasoned to himself.

_Didn't it?_

* * *

Usagi was shocked to say the least. She didn't think that anything else could surprise her. She was a Senshi who fought the baddies on a daily basis, her best friend's girlfriend has some sort of vendetta against her, and she has a talking cat. Nothing should have been able to surprise her. 

Until she persuaded Ami to try out the Sailor V game.

She looked on nervously as Ami cleared the levels one by one. Her score was currently at somewhere over twenty-five thousand, a couple thousand points behind Usagi, who currently had the highest score on the scoreboard.

_Don't beat my score, don't beat my score, don't beat my score…_

"You're really good at this," Usagi commented, a nervous laugh embellishing the statement.

Ami smiled. "This is kinda fun."

Three thousand more points… two thousand… nine hundred and sixty four…

"Hello, beautiful."

Ami's hand jerked as she jumped from the shriek coming from behind her ears and watched as she died, before turning around to her friend in agitation. "Usagi! You made me l…lose…" she stared up at the boy behind Usagi, a cheeky grin on his face, whilst the odango-haired girl tried desperately to calm herself down.

"You've got to stop sneaking up on me like that, Kei-san." She admonished him.

He chuckled. "Sorry, but it's so cute when you get all jumpy like that." He looked down at the girl sitting at the Sailor V game and extended a hand. "Ishioka Kei, at your service."

Ami took his hand, blushing as he kissed it. "Mizuno Ami."

"Pleasure to meet a friend of this beautiful girl before me," he grinned as Usagi went red. A cough could be heard from one of the booths but he ignored it, smiling. "Usagi-chan," he began, giving the blonde his full attention and eyeing her with his chestnut eyes. "I have something I would like to ask you."

"Yes?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and his smile thinned out, his face looking serious for the first time since she had met him. "Would a girl like yourself ever possibly consider me as a boyfriend?"

"…w-what did you say?"

"I want you to go out with me."

* * *

"Gee, Mamoru, couldn't be any more obvious there, now could you?" Motoki rolled his eyes at the lack of tact his best friend was displaying. 

"What are you talking about?" he questioned, only half-aware of the question posed to him, still leaning over the booth and glaring at the newcomer.

"For goodness sake, Mamoru, GET DOWN!" he hissed as he yanked the teenager back into his seat. "It's NONE of your business who Usagi-chan associates with! Stop it, for crying out loud!" he sighed in frustration as Mamoru sat with his arms crossed, sulking as he stared at his coffee. "What are you, ten?"

He simply 'hmphed' and tried not to think about the group behind him when suddenly the whole arcade jumped at a "YES!" being shrieked out with joy. He clambered out of the booth in time to see Usagi hugging Kei, who smiled as his hold around her waist tightened. They let go and he kissed her on the cheek before bidding the two girls farewell and leaving. He saw Usagi with the biggest grin on her face before she turned and noticed them, then grabbed her friend and ran towards them. Somewhere in his mind he recognised she was speaking to him, but failed to register exactly what she was saying, let alone reply in acknowledgement of their existence.

His entire world was in shock.

_Usagi… Usagi has… Usagi has… Usagi has… a… b…b…boy… she… kiss…_

"What was that about, Usagi-chan?"

Usagi merely grinned as she jumped up and down enthusiastically. "Kei asked me out! He asked me out! Oh my God, he asked me out!" she grabbed Ami's arms and began to dance around her, the poor girl trying to keep up with the spinning scenery. "I've got a boyfriend!"

"That's great, Usagi-chan!" Motoki exclaimed, trying to feel happy for her, while scowling at his brother, whose mouth thinned out and whose face adorned a frown. Mamoru continued to gaze with unfocused eyes as Usagi introduced her friend. Motoki was aware of the throbbing temple Mamoru now bore and tried fruitlessly to steer Usagi and Ami to the counter for a celebratory ice cream before he exploded. "Nice to meet you, Ami-chan, after hearing so much about you from Usagi, now how about we go grab –"

"WHAAAAAT?"

The three turned to see a pale upperclassman. Mamoru continued to gape at Usagi with his jaw so low it could touch the floor. His eyes were wide and fixated on her as though she had just grown two extra heads and declared herself to be Sailor Moon. He couldn't believe what she had just said. It wasn't possible. It was one of the main_impossibilities_ of life, one of the things in the universe that was unable to happen. She couldn't… she wouldn't…

Usagi laughed. "Are you deaf, Mamoru-kun? I said this is my friend Ami, and that she –"

"That's not what I'm talking about, Odango," he snapped, unapologetically carrying on as he saw her flinch from the harshness of his voice. "What do you mean 'you have a boyfriend'? Absolutely no _way_ could you possibly have one!"

She turned red, this time from anger. "What do you mean by that?!"

"Have you seen him? He's got this cocky atmosphere around him, like he just caught sight of his prey and intends to swoop in for the attack knowing he's going to score!"

"Hey! You don't even know him!" she retorted, prodding his chest with her finger. "What's your problem with this?! What's wrong with me having a boyfriend?!"

"You're too young!"

Silence befell the group of four as she glared with irritation at her best friend. Motoki and Ami looked on in interest and slight fear; Ami because she'd never seen two people fight so loudly, and Motoki because he'd never seen their fighting get this tense. Mamoru held his stare unwaveringly, meeting Usagi's own as he certified this reason. _Yeah, that's right. She's too young. I'm not just being an overprotective figure for her. She really _shouldn't_ be having a boyfriend at this age. Right?_

They continued to remain frozen, their gazes refusing to break. Mamoru had stood up during the argument, frustrated with the little blonde, allowing Ami to sit down as the tension grew between them. Then a soft whisper escaped from the lips of the teenager, murderous intent and disappointment in her eyes as she regarded her best friend with calm anger.

"If I'm too young, then you most certainly aren't any better than I am, Mamoru, with the way you've been going on. You're just going to have to understand that I'm growing up. Just because someone likes me, and wants to be closer to me than you, doesn't mean you have a right to go and chase away any guy that I'm interested in. This has to stop, Mamoru. I'm sick of you babying me all the time. I'm getting older, and of course I'll eventually be dating someone, so just accept that already!" she got louder as she felt her frustration growing. "Don't think that you have to shield me from life like you did when we were kids! One of these days, you're going to have to understand that there are things even_you_ can't protect me from! I can't – won't – stay under your watch forever and you aren't always going to be the one to catch me when I fall! Grow up!"

Before Mamoru could respond, she turned and ran, a blue-haired teenager rising and running after her in concern after catching her double meaning, calling her name as she followed. He didn't need the sight of her upset eyes, the tears waiting to fall, nor Motoki's admonishing gaze to realise, as he smacked his head on the table, that he had screwed up big time.

* * *

She stopped at the park, collapsing in the spot she would always occupy whenever she went there without fail. It was a great irony that whenever she needed comfort, she would always run to the spot that she would go to as a child with Mamoru, even if it was he that she was running from. She lay down on the grass and closed her eyes, willing herself not to shed tears. It became a mantra in her mind whenever she was sad, hearing his voice despite her anger at him. 

"_Don't cry, Usagi-chan… please don't cry."_

How stupid, she reflected, that the reassurance, the comfort, would always have to come from him, no matter what. How many times had he said that to her whenever she let the tears fall? How could she, even now, want so much not to cry because he hated to see it? Why was it always because of him that she would cheer up, or her resolve would strengthen?

She_wanted_ to be angry; it was his fault and his problem, after all, not hers. He was the one with issues, not her. So why could she also feel better because of him?

"Usagi-chan?"

She turned, not registering who it was, but hoping it would be him with an apology… only to find it was Naru that had approached her. She sat up and smiled softly at her friend. "What's up?"

"Are you okay, Usagi-chan?" she questioned, undoubtedly concerned about her. "I saw you running here like you were chased by some wild animal."

She shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Just had a fight with Mamoru." She began to explain how she was asked out by Kei and he had snapped at it.

Naru laughed.

"I don't see how this can be so funny," Usagi commented dryly.

"Well if you ask me, Usagi-chan… I think he's jealous."

It was Usagi's turn to laugh now. "That's a ludicrous idea, Naru. There is no possibly way _he_ could be jealous of _me_ having a boyfriend. I think I would be able to tell if that were the case. The thought of that is absolutely ridiculous!"

A hand grasped her shoulder and she turned to see Ami hunched over her, her other hand on her knee as she caught her breath. "'Bout… time… I caught up… to you," she panted. Naru stared curiously at the newcomer as Usagi stood up and gave her a hug. Ami slowly returned the gesture as she gulped in more air, sweat beading her forehead. "You okay now?" she whispered. "You were pretty angry at Mamoru-san."

"I'm fine," she whispered back. "Just needed to cool off a bit."

"You sure?"

"Yes!" she laughed softly. "I'm fine!" She turned back to Naru and was about to ask if she wanted to join them at the arcade when their communicators went off. Usagi saw Ami pull out the new gadget discreetly from the corner of her eye and frowned, before turning and nodding at Usagi.

"We better go," she muttered softly.

Bidding Naru a quick goodbye they dashed off to the street Luna had named to fight the youma. Naru stood in confusion as the two left, wondering what had just happened. She was talking to Usagi… and then suddenly she was gone…

* * *

Mamoru came home and felt relief wash through him as he finally got a break from Motoki's lecturing about how it was rude of him to say to Usagi that she was too young to have a boyfriend. He trudged his way up to his room yelling at his brother to shut up and that he got the point. Flopping onto his bed he noticed Usagi's bedroom light across the yard was on. Intending to apologise, he picked up his cell phone and punched her number in. 

All he received was a dial tone.

"Fine time for her to be on the phone to someone else," he thought with irritation. _I wonder if it's that guy._He peered across the window and saw her move about her room, chatting happily as she looked through her wardrobe. He watched as she laughed, scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out as she chatted to whoever was given her full attention. Her cat leaped onto her shoulder and she scratched her under the chin, the cat's tail swishing with pleasure, and the tell-tale crick in the end showing her content.

He sighed. That could've been him on the phone right now. He could have apologised and they would be teasing each other, or talking about what had happened at school. Maybe he could've even wormed out a little about her new boyfriend so he could see exactly what she saw in him. Then they'd start making fun of Motoki or whomever they decided to gossip about, or he'd be helping her with her homework.

He decided after seeing that she wouldn't be off the phone for a while that he'd go and talk to her face to face instead. Pulling on a black jacket he headed back downstairs and out the door, crossing the few metres to the Tsukino front door. Shingo let him in joyfully, asking persistently if he'd play with him, and he had to virtually pry him off to get upstairs. Halfway up the steps he saw Usagi walk into the bathroom.

"Ami, that's not fair! You know I don't do Advanced Calculus, even though everyone's saying I should! How am I supposed to know the answer to that?" she laughed as the door shut, and Mamoru heard the water running a few seconds later. No doubt she was going to spend the next two hours in the bath and on the phone.

Sighing in defeat, he returned to his room. His cell phone rang and he picked it up, wondering if Usagi had finished the phone call to her new friend.

"Hello?"

"Konbanwa, Mamoru-san!"

Though he greeted her amiably, inwardly he groaned, before berating himself for being annoyed at his girlfriend. Deciding that Usagi wouldn't be off the phone for a good long time, he spent the rest of the night talking to Meiko.

* * *

The next afternoon Usagi had cooled down considerably, and had returned home from a date with Kei to the movies. She sang to herself as she pulled out her homework, happy that things were going her way. She had a friend who she could depend on both in battle and out, she was catching up on her homework and she had a boyfriend. Even her anger at her best friend had diminished, and she hadn't had to encounter the not-so-nice side of his jealous girlfriend, either. She lay down on the bed as she continued to hum, thankful she had the study to herself. 

It was an hour or two later when the door on the other end of the room was wrenched open and a raven-haired boy collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily. Groaning as his muscles yearned for relaxation he lay limp on the floor. She looked up and laughed at Mamoru as he continued to lie face down on the floor.

"Rough day?" she questioned mockingly.

"I don't understand how you girls can spend _all day_ shopping." He sighed, his voice muffled against the wood.

"I take it Meiko dragged you to every store in the mall again," she replied, standing up and walking over to him. "Get up," she ordered, taking his arm and pulling upwards, a cry of pain and protest escaping his lips. "Hey, you know better than anyone else that lying there is not going to help any, now get up." He stumbled to his feet and she pushed him towards the bed, watching as he flopped onto it in exhaustion. She rolled her eyes. "Men."

Coaxing him to pull his legs onto the bed and to lie properly on his stomach she kneeled above him and began to massage his shoulders. Mamoru groaned again, this time in satisfaction as she kneaded his shoulders, the tension slipping from him.

"God that feels good, Usagi-chan…" He felt his back crick and he sighed as he relaxed even more. "When did you learn how to massage?"

"Oh, you know… something I picked up," she said as she kneaded out the tension in his back. She went back to his shoulders and they remained there in comfortable silence, apart from the occasional groan from Mamoru against the pillow. When she finished he rolled over onto his back and sighed, blowing the hair out of his eyes and she laughed as he closed his eyes and smiled stupidly. She sat on the edge of the bed watching him, his chest rising and falling as he rested for a while. Usagi brushed the bangs away from his forehead.

"Your hair's getting long," she commented.

"You're hair _is_ long," he replied lazily. He took her hand in his and moved it away from his forehead. "If I cut my hair, will you cut yours?"

She snorted at the idea. "In your dreams, kiddo."

He linked his fingers with hers as he opened his eyes to gaze at her. His thumb begun to stroke her hand but neither had noticed as they continued to simply look at each other, the events of the day before sinking in once more.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said finally, breaking the silence.

"It's okay," she replied reassuringly.

"No it's not," Mamoru argued. "I regret what I said. You're old enough to go out with whoever you want. It's not my business."

Usagi shook her head. "Look, I was just saying it in the heat of the moment, I didn't really mean it. You were just being protective of me, looking after me, I shouldn't have –"

He shushed her with a finger to her mouth as he sat up, his eyes glaring at her, commanding her to stop. "You had every right to say what you did. It may have been in the heat of the moment, but every word of it was true. You're growing up and one of these days you're not going to need me. I just have to accept that."

Again her head shook. "That's not true, Mamoru-kun. I _do_ need you. I always will."

He smiled thankfully as she curled up into his arms, seeming like the little girl from his childhood again. He held her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested his head atop hers.

A soft meowing broke the moment and they looked up to see Luna on the bed. The black feline strolled up to the two and Mamoru picked her up, scratching her under the chin like he had seen Usagi do the other night. Luna purred contentedly and he moved his ministrations to just behind her ear. They laughed as Luna reached up and rubbed her nose against Mamoru's cheek, and Usagi's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"I've never seen her so receptive before," she commented. Mamoru continued to scratch Luna behind the ears for a little while longer before setting her back down on the bed.

"Usagi-chan… do you want to spar?"

She froze as she stared at him skeptically. "Spar? The weak little man who stumbled in here complaining about shopping wants to fight me?"

"Ohhhh," he chuckled. "Now you _have_ to fight. How can I not resist a challenge to my manly pride?" He grabbed her hand and they went out to the Furuhata backyard. "Come on, it'll be just like when we were kids."

"But_ Mamoru-kun_, I don't do karate anymore!"

"Don't be a chicken; I'll go easy on you." Letting go of her hand he turned abruptly, aiming a roundhouse kick to her side which she blocked instinctively. He grinned. "See? You can still fight." He threw a couple of punches which she dodged and blocked with ease and he began to laugh. "Don't play defensive! Fight back!" He swept with his leg and she jumped, somersaulting over his crouched figure. He froze in shock – she'd never ever done that before, and he almost had his head knocked off if he hadn't ducked at the last second.

Seeing him begin to regain his composure she threw another roundhouse at him and he tumbled out of the way as she tried to get him in his crouched position. Aiming a chop to his neck she gasped as he grabbed her hand and turned around, throwing her over his shoulders, letting go of her wrist to let her save herself. She turned in mid air, landing neatly on her feet, before looking up and scowling at him. "Stop mocking me and take me seriously!" he merely laughed and she aimed a high kick to his chest, which he blocked easily. Aiming low she saw the kick coming her way and executed a series of back flips, landing neatly on her feet. Her jeans were clinging to her legs and she cursed herself for not wearing shorts.

They continued to exchange punches and kicks before they both fell to the ground, exhausted. Mamoru sighed as he rolled onto his back, looking at his opponent, impressed. "You did pretty well, Odango Atama."

"You weren't doing too badly yourself."

They lay on their backs watching the clouds until they heard Motoki at the door. "Mamoru! It's Imadori! He wants to ask you about the biology homework!"

He groaned. "Me? Why me? Can't _you_ help him instead?!"

"If I could, do you think I'd be standing here asking you?" his brother replied dryly. Sighing, he got up and dusted off his pants.

"See you later, Usagi-chan."

Usagi watched as the upperclassman shut the sliding door, taking the phone off Motoki, who waved and smiled at her. She waved back before resuming her observation of the clouds.

"Do that more often." A voice called.

"Huh?" she sat up and saw Luna before her, a look of approval in her eyes. "Do what more often?"

"The sparring. Get him to fight with you more often. It's good training for battling the Dark Kingdom."

"No way, Luna. I'm not going to drag him into my already strenuous training schedule. You already have me taking morning or afternoon runs, training with Ami-chan and studying more than I have to. I'm not going to use him as well. No way!"

"Usagi-chan, listen to what you're saying! How can you mean such things?" Luna reprimanded. "It is crucial to develop your fighting skills to battle evil, no matter what! He doesn't know that you'll be 'using him' as you decide to put it. To him, it will just be fun, just sport."

She sighed and nodded her head in defeat, wondering what other pastimes were going to be taken over by her duty as a Senshi.

* * *

Yay! Get to upload two chapters within a week! That hasn't happened for the longest time! 

That just sounded like a Billy Joel song…

R&R!

- PazaakGirl


	12. Chapter 10

Holy crap! When did I hit 100 reviews?!? I hadn't even noticed!!! I thought I was still in the 80s! Wow!!! Thanks everyone!

Sorry guys… last time I updated was before trials or just a little after, or something like that, right? That was maybe… two months ago? HSC's on… and Fanfiction has effectively distracted me from studying. That, and catching up on two months worth of _House_. So please, only for three weeks… don't ask me to update just yet… I really, _really _need to study.

On a good note, however, I've graduated!!! No more High School! (except HSC). And if you noticed, the opening date for the last chapter was June 1st… which was my birthday. Which means I've been 18 for… (counts like the 4 Unit person she is) four months! Holy crap I feel old…

The other reason why I've been late in finishing this chapter is that I've kinda been writing out of order… I get a really good idea of how the scene in a certain chapter is going to happen, and even though I've summarised what I want in each section, the vibe might disappear… so I have to write it before I forget. And I almost have the last chapter done already! Haha.

Anyway, enough of me. I re-read everyone's reviews for me and, after lots of smiles and warm and fuzziness, I am going to get on with this! On with the show!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter 10 – Mamoru, you hypocrite!**

* * *

At the arcade two boys sat at a booth in deep contemplation, both aware of the absence of one significant other.

"Where's Usagi?" Motoki queried.

Mamoru merely shrugged. "You think I know? I thought she was with you when I came in." They sat there for a while longer wondering where on earth she was.

"You know… she could be with that new boyfriend of hers." Motoki suggested, and regretted it once he saw his brother's knuckles whiten, before he snatched the glass away from him. "Oh, no you don't. I will not have you breaking any more of Otou-san's glassware, thank you very much."

"Huh?" Mamoru responded, and Motoki rolled his eyes. "What about Yamazaki-san's glasses? What did I do?"

"Nothing, just attempted to throttle the shake," the blond replied dryly. Mamoru glared at the unwelcome jibe at his accident a few days ago and stared at the shake. It was already starting to liquefy, looking more like unappealing sludge than a tasty drink. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist a shake when she came in, so he had bought it for her hoping it would motivate her to stay with them longer than she would nowadays… but she never showed up. Mamoru took a sip from the chocolate delight and propped his elbow on the table, resting his head in his palm.

"You don't suppose she got a detention again…"

"Who knows?" Motoki asked absent-mindedly. He looked up at the glass doors and sat up. "Naru's here. Let's ask her. HEY NARU-CHAN!"

The redhead approached them and stopped at the table. Mamoru watched as his brother asked of their best friend's whereabouts, and Naru merely shook her head.

"How would I know? She doesn't hang around with me anymore."

Silence loomed over the booth as the two seventeen-year-olds digested this information.

Motoki responded hesitantly. "Surely she must have said something at school…"

"She doesn't even talk to me in class," Naru replied solemly. "If she does, it's because she's talking her head off about her new boyfriend." She sighed and slumped into the booth next to Motoki. "She's always with Mizuno-san nowadays… or on a date… I miss her…"

Mamoru finished the shake initially for Usagi and slammed the glass down.

"Hey!" Motoki called out, cradling the glass to his chest as though it were the most precious thing to him. "Where're you going?" Mamoru had grabbed his bag, his book of the day and his school blazer and walked towards the exit.

"To think." And without another word, he slipped out of the arcade.

* * *

Usagi indeed had been out with her boyfriend, before going the Mizuno residence to finish off her homework with Ami. During the study period they discussed the possibility of more Senshi with Luna.

"I mean, Ami-chan can't have been the only other Senshi, right? There's got to be others."

"It's a big world, Usagi-chan…" Ami sighed. "It'd be too much of a coincidence for them all to be in Tokyo." She looked down at her calculus and contemplated the idea. "It's lucky enough that Usagi and I were in the same area! 19 billion people in the world, and the probability of there being three senshi in the same country is –"

"Ami-chan, hold that thought," Usagi grumbled, and Ami giggled.

Luna stretched out on the cushion next to Usagi. "I've been running a scan of the citizens of Tokyo, just in case… but I think the two of you will be enough for now."

"A scan?!" Usagi queried in surprise, dropping her pencil. "With what?"

Luna merely smiled suspiciously.

Ami leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "So Usagi-chan… how was the date with Kei-san? You guys have been going out quite a bit recently."

Usagi blushed and the two other female occupants in the room stared at her expectantly. "It… it was good."

"Just good?" Ami grinned. "No juicy details you'd like to share? Like if you guys have kissed yet?"

"Why do you want to know? Aren't we supposed to be studying?"

"Nice try, Usagi-chan," Luna interjected, "but don't change the subject. Did you?"

"NOT YOU TOO!" She screeched, but the two continued to gaze at her in anticipation. "I… no, we haven't." She stopped hoping they would be satisfied, but they simply looked on with eyes that asked, and why not? "Oh, alright, I'll tell you why… I don't know him well enough to do that… my first kiss I want to share with someone deeply important to me… someone who I know I can actually give my whole heart to. We've only been going out for a little over a week!"

"Well, you haven't even thought of -"

"OI! CALCULUS!" Usagi snapped, and poured all her heart and soul into the problems before her, face reddening at the giggles from the others.

* * *

She sighed as she walked home, shaking her head at the lack of study that actually occurred at the Mizuno household. The girl genius, gossiping about her life! Even Luna was curious, and strangely enough, that brought a smile to her face. She walked home alone, the feline running off to continue her scan. The thought of more scouts possibly in Japan thrilled her, and she increased her pace.

However, Usagi hadn't looked where she was going, and tripped over nothing as she walked past the park.

"Ahhh!" she screeched, and braced herself for the fall, before stopping in mid-air. She opened her eyes slowly to see that she was inches from the floor, and heard a familiar chuckle.

"Ever the klutz, aren't you?"

Mamoru set her back on her feet and she sighed in relief. "Arigatou."

"Don't thank me." He headed back to the park and she followed, the pair occupying the swings in the playground. Usagi watched the upperclassman in curiosity as he stared at the ground before him, but said nothing of it, knowing he would soon speak her mind. Instead she leant back and started her swing.

"Reminds me of when we were kids, being back here," she commented. Usagi giggled. "Remember how Motoki used to brag he could swing without using his hands… and we'd grab the swing seat and watch him fall to the floor?" Mamoru murmured an assent, and she continued through the giggles. "It was so lucky there was still a sand pit," she remarked, swinging higher. "Or he would've gotten seriously hurt."

"Usagi-chan… why didn't you come to the arcade today?"

She stopped her swing and looked at the seventeen-year-old. "Well… I was on –"

"A date?" He queried, and she nodded.

"A-and then I went to Ami-chan's to study." She watched Mamoru in slight confusion as she let him digest this information. Standing up she walked towards him and kneeled before him, searching for his eyes. "Mamoru-kun? Daijoubu?"

"It's just that… you never seem to be around anymore. You've…" he exhaled as he looked her in the eye. "You've changed."

"Changed?" she laughed, cupping his face in her hands. "I'm still me, Mamoru-kun." Except for one small thing, she added to herself. "As for never being around, I do have to pay some attention to my boyfriend…"

"That doesn't mean you have to ignore us all the time! For Heaven's sake, aren't we supposed to be your best friends?"

"Hey!" she countered, prodding his chest with a lone index finger. "Don't get all testy with me! You were doing the exact same thing with me, it's just that this time you're the victim, and you don't like it. What about the number of times you hadn't shown up because you were out with Meiko, or other classmates? Times when your phone was busy because you were talking to her? Times when I've wondered what I should do because you two were out with your girlfriends? It never bothered you then, because it wasn't you it was affecting. And now you accuse me of doing exactly the same things you have, just because you have a problem with it? Don't be a hypocrite!"

Annoyance and guilt flashed through his eyes, and Usagi knew she had hit the mark right on.

"I…" he stopped and thought about it, and had to admit to himself that she had a point. He sighed. "Fine. You win… you're right." He stood up and she backed away in surprise, falling onto the floor.

"That's it?" she asked in amazement. "No arguments, no denial… you're just going to leave it at that?"

"Yes… look… let's just go home. I shouldn't have said anything." He started walking away. "I hate fighting with you, Usagi."

She raised her eyebrows at him as she caught up. "Oh? And why is that?" she pressed on, chuckling. "Afraid to lose to me again? Is that it?"

"No, It's just…" he replied, a small hint of sadness in his eyes that she picked up on. Then it vanished and he turned away. "Forget it. Let's just go."

* * *

It wasn't long after they got home and Usagi sat on her bed, contemplating what happened that afternoon. Mamoru had not said another word to her after they left the park, but simply continued to brood in the way only he knew how. She punched her pillow, frustrated at the silent treatment he was giving her. _What the hell did I do now?_

Was it her fault that half her time was spent on Senshi business? She had to make time for her homework, her friends, her boyfriend, and her family, when really she should have been able to do as she pleased with her time. Usagi sighed. Mamoru just doesn't understand what I have to go through… she picked up her phone and decided to call her boyfriend. _I can't deal with Mamoru right now._ She started dialling the number, and heard the ringing on the other end.

"I'd hang that up if I were you."

Shrieking and dropping the phone, she turned to face the intruder. "Luna!" exhaling a ragged breath in relief and the aftershock, she glared at her mentor. "A little warning next time? I was just calling Kei-san."

"No time! A youma has attacked!"

"Hello?"

They looked down at the phone which lay on the floor, Kei's voice sounding through the speaker. "Er… hello? Who is this?"

Usagi looked down at her feet. She closed her eyes. _You can call him another time_, she reasoned, hearing the same statement from Luna. Slowly she bent down and hung up on her boyfriend. This youma's gonna pay for cutting into MY time.

"Lead the way," she commanded Luna, reciting her transformation phrase.

They made their way swiftly to the sports stadium where the youma was draining energy from the teams. Usagi looked on in horror at how chaotic the scene had become, with several spectators pushing their way through each other to get away. Mercury stood on the playing field, dodging attacks and checking the pulses of the fallen players. She looked up and gasped, rolling away just as a lightning bolt was sent towards her.

Sailor Moon jumped down onto the field, taking a look at the youma in more detail. Armour plated almost all of its body, the chest plates strapped together over the shoulders. The youma, easily twice as tall as she, held metal rods in each hand. Looks like the thunder comes out from them, she mused. She took a quick look at Mercury in her peripheral vision and saw her switch her visor on and scan using the computer Luna had given her on her second day. _Alright, I gotta keep it distracted while Mercury figures this out. _"Hey, let that guy go!" she shouted at the youma. "You want someone? How about taking me on! You made me hang up on my boyfriend! In the name of the moon, I, Sailor Moon will punish you!"

Luna sighed. "Teenage girls… Now she has a vendetta against a youma…"

It did catch its attention, however. Upon hearing the declaration of a challenge the youma dropped the football player and charged at her. It sent two lighting bolts her way which she dodged with ease, and she did several back flips, leading the youma away from Mercury. Come on, Ami, hurry up. Finding herself at the end of the field she checked her surroundings, before yelping as another lightning bolts crashed down towards her. She jumped out of the way as the lightning bolt hit the wall, but the explosion still hit her and she crashed into the benches. Another lightning bolt missed her by inches, instead hitting the stands and collapsing the structure onto her.

"SAILOR MOON!" Luna cried out.

"Itai," she moaned, shoving the wooden planks and plastic seats out of the way. "That really hurts…" Sensing the youma approaching, she took a pole which fell on her and squirmed out of the rubble. Rubbing her head, she pointed the pole at the youma. "Hey, you can't just go blowing things up," she scolded it groggily. "Who's going… to fix it…" her head was pounding and she swore there were grazes along her legs, which hopefully would heal faster in her Senshi form, but she found she couldn't think straight as the youma came towards her.

"Shabon Spray!"

Mist began to fog the field and Usagi's eyes began to close, feeling like Sailor Mercury's attack had only succeeded in further clouding her mind. She felt herself falling and she landed on the grass.

"Sailor Moon!" she heard Mercury cry through the mist, but she had too much of a headache to respond. She closed her eyes and felt like drifting off to sleep… it felt like those times she tried to study, but the words would just pass over her head and she'd lose focus… knowing she had to study, but she couldn't just pay attention. She felt herself being picked up, and thought maybe it was just her imagination… that she never was fighting a youma, and that Mamoru had found her lying on the floor of the study, and was carrying her to bed.

Something washed over her, and though she had her eyes closed, Usagi knew if it had a colour, it would be gold. She felt the pain lessening, and her eyes snapped open. Pain wasn't real… but if she felt it, that meant…

Her vision cleared, and familiar black sleeves and gloved hands surrounded her.

"Are you alright, Sailor Moon?" her saviour asked, and she realised that indeed, something golden surrounded her, and it came from Tuxedo Kamen's hands. She tried to move, but his hands stopped her. "Don't try getting up. I'm healing your wounds as fast as possible, but you're still suffering a headache. Getting up now will only make it worse. Mercury has it covered… just rest for now."

"Tuxedo Kamen… how?" she asked in her dazed state.

He looked down at his hands. "I don't know. I found out I could do this a few weeks ago… it worked on me when I needed to heal injuries, so I thought I'd try it on yours."

"Thank you…" she whispered. She sat there resting as he tended to her wounds, and after a few minutes awareness crept into her soul. She felt more alert than ever, and slowly she sat up. The pounding in her head had disappeared, and she felt no more pain in her legs. She stood up, but a gloved hand clasped around her wrist.

"Are you sure you can do this?" He asked, concern showing through his mask, his piercing gaze directed straight at her.

She smiled reassuringly. "I'm gonna dust this youma no matter what," she told him. She checked her surroundings and her footing. Her legs felt a little wobbly still, but the power surging through her gave her the determination to carry on. "Mercury!" she called out. "Got any ideas of what to do with this thing?"

Mercury tumbled into view, and Sailor Moon saw the illumination from the lightning through the clearing fog. "The weak point seems to be under the chest armour, but you have to get to it first," she informed the silver-haired Senshi. "It's impenetrable to our attacks… we have to take it off somehow."

"Alright!" Sailor Moon shouted enthusiastically. "Let's get this show on the road!" she pulled out the metal pole she had been holding and twirled it in her hand.

"Sailor Moon, what do you think you're doing?" Luna cried out in astonishment. "You aren't seriously considering attacking it close range?"

She grinned. "You were thinking otherwise?"

* * *

_No matter what happens, this girl always seems to amaze me._

Tuxedo Kamen watched, dumbstruck, as Sailor Moon fought the youma with nothing but pure martial arts. He called out to her at first, shocked and angered that she would do something reckless… until he realised she could actually fight.

Here she was, the sailor-suited heroine fighting a youma twice her size with a makeshift bo. And holding her own.

_Someone here has obviously had some training_, he mused, as he watched her form. Images of a younger girl the age of ten in a small martial arts uniform filled his mind and he shook it off, cursing himself for letting his thoughts stray from the battle. _Stop thinking about Usagi! You can deal with the problem with her after the battle!_ He took out his own cane, ready to step in if it ever came to that point. Watching her fluid movements as she parried the metal lightning rods away from her body he couldn't help but be impressed. _Her form is a little sloppy, but she's definitely trained in karate._

The youma pushed her back and she fell to the floor, groaning. The youma struck downward with the rods, and Tuxedo Kamen responded by throwing two roses, knocking the rods out of its hands. As the lightning youma reclaimed its possessions he dashed to the fallen girl.

"Sailor Moon… its joints… do you see?"

He watched the Senshi of the Moon look up and come to a realisation. "The armour…"

"It's less protected there. Make a couple of hits there, and I'll get the armour off for you."

She nodded in acknowledgement and the two stood up, brandishing their weapons. Sailor Moon charged at the unprepared youma and struck a blow to its shoulder. The youma, angered, aimed low with its lightning rod, ready to electrocute her, but she easily used the makeshift bo to vault herself into the air and behind it. Aiming an attack at the back of the knee, the youma keeled over, and the exposed front allowed Tuxedo Kamen to slice through the straps with carefully aimed roses. The armour peeled off like onions.

"Now, Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Moon charged her tiara, and dodged the lightning bolt sent her way, glowing discus still in hand. "Moon Tiara… ACTION!" she cried, and the youma was struck by the tiara, exploding into dust.

Tuxedo Kamen watched her as she fell to the floor, exhausted but happy, and he smiled, bidding the Senshi a farewell before leaving.

_Yep, she never ceases to amaze me._

* * *

"Hey… Motoki-kun… can I talk to you for a second?"

She found him at the Crown Arcade, behind the counter as usual. Even though his father was the one who owned the arcade, Motoki spent most of the time working and taking care of it, and she wouldn't be surprised if Motoki inherited it and owned it himself. The place was his treasure. So many memories were made in that place, from Usagi and Motoki continuously trying to beat each other's top score in the games, to relaxing in a booth after school, to parties when they were kids. She found him carrying a few glasses to the back room.

"Sure, Usagi-chan… you wanna help me with the boxes in the storeroom? I need to bring out a new set of glasses."

"Okay," she replied, giggling at the look in Motoki's eyes, knowing he was referring to the plastic glasses for shakes so that Mamoru wouldn't break any more.

Usagi helped him unpack all the glasses and transfer the glassware into the box, and afterwards they both sat in a booth with two cokes.

"So what's up?" he asked her, and she looked down at her glass, speaking the question bearing down on her since the conversation in the park.

"Have I… seemed distant to you lately?"

The sandy-haired boy sighed. "Mamoru spoke to you, didn't he?" she nodded and he took a sip from his drink before shaking his head. "That boy…"

"Motoki-kun?"

"I'd be lying if I said you weren't," he began, smiling reassuringly, "but I know that you've got other things on your mind. You've got a new friend who's new in Azabu, and a boyfriend who you've only started seeing recently. Sure, it feels like we're being left out, but eventually things will get back to normal… it felt like that when Mamoru and Meiko started going out, and it probably seemed that way to you when I started going out with Reika, no?"

Usagi nodded, sighing in relief and frustration at the same time. "How is it that you completely understand what I'm talking about, and Mamoru-kun just gets all angsty when I tell him exactly that? He told me to drop the subject after I gave him my point of view, and then wouldn't say a word to me the whole way home!"

Her childhood friend raised an eyebrow at her. "Probably because you snapped at him the way you always do when he brings up something he's also guilty of, right?" watching her gaze drop in embarrassment, he laughed. "I know you two too well… but Usagi… you have to understand something. The way it affects you and I when we get left out of things… is far different to how Mamoru feels."

Usagi was reaching out for her glass, but once the words sunk in her hand stopped mid-action.

"… What?" she croaked.

Pushing the glass towards her immobile hand, he clasped her hand around it, finishing the act for her, knowing she wouldn't move on her own volition. "I'm only guessing… but I'm pretty sure this is the issue," he began. "Usagi, we've known each other since we were kids. I've been around you since the day you were born. We've had each other's presence for our entire lives, and have always lived around people." When she nodded and sipped her coke as she listened, he continued. "Even if we grow apart for a short time, we get back together and don't think twice about it. But Mamoru…" he averted his gaze, sighing as he leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Mamoru didn't have anyone, and he can't remember the times when he did."

Usagi placed the coke back on the table, slightly understanding where he was getting at.

"Unlike you and I," Motoki carried on, "Mamoru has had people close to him and lost them. He knows what it's like to be left alone. While you and I have the security of seeing him with Meiko, knowing he'll come back to us and that we won't go our separate ways for good… I know Mamoru feels as though Kei and Reika are taking us away from him, even though he doesn't say it. We're all he's had for the part of his life that he actually remembers… and I think he's afraid that he'll look around and see we've left him behind." He looked up and his face faltered as tears began to fall form Usagi's eyes.

"I didn't realise…" she whispered, sniffing, trying not to cry any more. "… I've known him for twelve years and still I don't understand how he feels…"

"I'm just speculating on this, mind you," Motoki reminded her, reaching over and wiping the tears away gently, "but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't far from the truth. As strong and mature as he pretends to be, Mamoru's insecure. You don't live with him for twelve years and not pick up on that."

"But why… why didn't I…" Motoki was next to her in an instant and he held her as she cried silently into his shirt.

"Shhh… he's always watched over you, Usagi. He always wanted to be the one protecting and taking care of you, so he never wanted to ever seem weak in front of you. You were his first friend, after all." Motoki rocked her gently as he stroked her hair. "I think he's more lonely and hurt than we can ever imagine."

"But… he always seemed happy ever since he started living with you," she reasoned, hiccupping.

"I know," Motoki agreed, "But you know something, Usagi-chan? In all the time that Mamoru has been my brother, I've never heard him call my parents 'otou-san' or 'okaa-san'… not once. It's always been 'Sonomi-san' or 'Yamazaki-san' ever since he was a kid… anything except what you would call a mother or father. It may have seemed like he was comfortable where he was, but I don't think he ever got over his parents' death. He's trying not to worry us and show he's moved on when really, I think it's weighing down on him. Especially since it's a part of him he can't remember. It definitely hurts, Usagi-chan, and we'll never understand how hard and how painful it must be for him, no matter how hard we try."

"What… what do I do, then?" Usagi questioned him, pleading with her eyes to tell her what to say.

"Just apologise, Usagi… he's always done that whenever you guys fought, no matter who was to blame… I'm not saying that this issue is your fault, but just let him know that this hasn't affected your friendship." He gathered the drinks together. "You wanna see if he's still home?"

* * *

Mamoru returned to the study, the adrenaline from the battle finally leaving him and allowing him to think of the previous conversation he had. Thoughts of the Senshi in her sexy outfit, and surprising martial arts abilities, disappeared as a blonde took her place in his mind.

"_Don't get all testy with me! You were doing the exact same thing with me, it's just that this time you're the victim, and you don't like it."_

He scoffed in annoyance at that accusation as he sifted through his homework. He was doing the same thing to her? For God's sake, this was entirely different! He never missed a visit to the arcade because of a date, or couldn't be reached on the phone… except that one time when he was on the phone for three hours to Meiko and he saw her through the window, trying to catch his attention… but apart from that, he never once ignored her… and even so, Meiko's his girlfriend for crying out loud! Not like that… guy…

Mamoru sighed. "Maybe Usagi's right," he muttered to himself. "Maybe I am a hypocrite…"

Several times throughout the last few hours he tried to reason with himself that he did not ignore Usagi when he started going out with Meiko, that he always made time for her whenever he could… and he could distinctly remember her forcing him to go out with Meiko even when he said he should spend that afternoon or weekend with her and Motoki…

Was she just being nice to me? Sacrificing herself for my relationship?

Never once did he ever hear Usagi complain about it before. Never once did she demand he cancel a date or go out with them for a change. Never once did she get upset that he was going to see Meiko instead of staying at home with her. Every time he imagined an instance where he had to decide, or realised what he was doing, she simply smiled and told him to go ahead…

"_I'm sorry."_

"_F-for what?"_

"_It's just that… we haven't spent that much time together lately, have we? I mean, we practically live in each other's houses and we still don't see each other as much as before._

_She shrugged. "I've been busy, so have you. Besides, Meiko's much more important than I am."_

"Kuso, Usagi," he snapped to himself. "Even then, I did exactly what you accused me of! I'm a total jerk!" he slammed his fist on the table in annoyance and breathed out deeply, trying to calm himself. "But… can't you just understand… Damn it."

"Understand what?"

He turned to see Usagi looking curiously at him, and straightened himself. Her eyes were red, and Mamoru guessed she had been crying, though he didn't know why… but all the same the guilt washed over him, and he felt as though somehow he had done that to her. "Usagi-chan… about before –"

"I know… I'm sorry…" she cut in.

Mamoru shook his head. "No, you shouldn't be, it's really my fault that –"

"No, it's mine!" She stepped forward into the study and reached out for him. "I had no right to say that –"

"Hey, I was the one who started this whole –"

"I was doing it to you too!"

"Odango, stop butting in and listen to me!" he snapped, getting impatient.

"No you listen to me! I keep telling you, it wasn't my place to go –"

"Yes it was!" he interrupted her, as he too stepped forward. "You were right, I shouldn't have even…" he stopped his sentence, and started chuckling.

Usagi scowled. "WHAT NOW?!" she exclaimed, exasperated.

"I can't believe this… we're actually fighting over taking the blame." Seeing the look on Usagi's face when he stated this did the trick, and he burst out laughing, hearing the giggles from her soon after. He bent over, clutching his stomach, trying to calm himself but the situation just kept the laughs rolling in.

She calmed down first and ran towards him, giving him a hug which he gladly returned. "This has to be the weirdest argument we've had yet," she pointed out, earning another chuckle from him. He spun her around, earning a squeal from the fourteen-year-old as she clung to him, and she sighed as he slowed down.

"I have to agree with you on that one," he replied. "Though if you'd just listen to me," he drawled, pinching her cheek, a mischievous grin on his face. They stood there for a while in their embrace, good spirits in both of them.

"Mamoru-kun," she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. "I really am sorry."

"Forget it, Odango," he cut in again, "I'm not willing to start this argument up again. Let's just leave it be, okay?"

"Alright," she conceded, stepping back. "I don't really feel like arguing again any –" not seeing the throw pillow behind her she tripped, and by instinct Mamoru pulled her towards him. Feeling himself losing his balance he turned in mid-air and felt his back slam against the floor. He winced as Usagi fell on top of him and groaned at the impact.

"Ouch…"

"I'm sorry, Mamoru-kun!" Usagi apologised profusely. "Daijoubu?"

"You really are a klutz," he muttered, and she poked him in the ribs. He squirmed and pulled her closer to him, trapping her arms between their chests so she wouldn't poke him anymore. "Stop that," he hissed. "You know I'm ticklish there."

"I know," Usagi grinned, and Mamoru glared at her.

"Klutz," he repeated, leaning his forehead against hers. Throbbing began on the back of his head and he groaned again, slowly dropping his head back on the floor.

"Are you alright?" she asked in concern, and she pulled out an arm from between them to feel the bump on his head. She touched the bump and he winced, before relaxing as she rubbed it gently. Her eyes softened and he observed her expression as the rubbing motion began to soothe him. Noticing her eyes were still red, he removed one of his arms from the grip around her waist and stroked her cheek, as though wiping the invisible trail of tears out of habit.

Soon reality sunk in, and they froze.

Usagi was completely sprawled over Mamoru, his arm pulling her even closer to him. Their faces were centimetres apart, and they could feel their breaths mingling…

As quickly as they had fallen to the floor together they sprang apart, both faces flushed with embarrassment. Tension filled the air between them and they both stared at each other in extreme silence. Both not knowing what to say, nor wanting to break the tension and try to explain what just happened. They merely stared at one another, unblinking, unmoving. And when Mamoru's phone rang, they jumped visibly from where they sat.

Mamoru answered the phone slowly, eyes never leaving Usagi… and when he heard the voice on the phone, he sighed, never feeling more thankful about Meiko coming between them.

* * *

I'm sorry if this seems a little tedious… then again, I'm the writer, so maybe I'm just sick of working on the same chapter. Haha. Occasionally a chapter or two needs to be dedicated to character development, so I decided to explore Mamoru's personality just a bit. And add one of their little moments! Hehe. Oh, the tension… More action definitely in near-future chapters, I can promise you that! Twists, cliffies and exciting plot developments still to come!

I'd have put the actual probability that three people in Japan are all Senshi… but I just can't be bothered checking if it's right… but I got 0.000000000000000000000000653. Haha. That means a snowball's chance in hell it'll happen. If anyone _is_ bothered, though I can't see why, let me know. I'm using binomial theorem, assuming a one in three chance that (currently in the storyline, for their searching for a third scout), three people are Senshi. Population mid 2000 was 126 434 470 (which was the number I used). Have fun! Oh, me and my maths…

The HSC is driving me nuts. I botched up Paper 1… creative writing was glorious… I wrote eight pages… yes, that did kind of mean lines between paragraphs, and one-line paragraphs, but my writing is tiny. But the essay… yuck.

Omaesan, Omaesan… just out of curiosity… do any guys read Sailor Moon Fanfics?

Don't forget to review!! I can't believe I actually hit a hundred…

-PazaakGirl


	13. Chapter 11

Okay, okay… I know what you're thinking… "Gee, Steph is SOOOOO LAZY! It's been at least 5 months since the last update!!! I don't think I want to read a story if the author isn't continuing with it!"

PLEASE DON'T STOP READING!! If it wasn't for you all prompting me to continue I woulda stopped out of laziness ages ago!

Let me explain my absence… HSC finished November 7th last year. (For me) So for all of November I had a present to finish for my math teachers (A book of all the quotes they made during the last two years), a class list for my graduating class, formal shopping… then December was my "Party, celebrate 18ths and end of HSC" month, in which I couldn't really write because I'd be out, then hungover the next day, then just getting myself back into my normal life… and the day after that I'd be at another party and the cycle would start all over again.

So I figured okay, well in January, I'd have time to get back on it (New Year and all). Unfortunately I accepted a temp job at an investment company (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) so I was working 9-5, 5 days a week, and I'd be too buggered to write on the weekends. And I'd write on the way to work in a notebook, except I didn't have the data for the previous chapters and those to come, and I have about 100 (okay, well three actually) ideas for other stories, so I wrote out the bits for those ones before I lost my muse.

Now it's February. Mid Feb. I think I started this chapter back in November and it's been left there… [checks DECEMBER. Late December. Bit by bit I've been working on it, and the motivation came from Coco-chan (If you hadn't constantly asked about it I would have taken much longer!) and the next chapter (Which I've been wanting to start for AGES but hadn't finished this!). So hopefully, if I haven't put this up with the next chapter it should be coming up soon (but we've seen how well THAT's been turning out!)

You may have noticed that I've revamped the old chapters. Just formatting and fixing the occasional inconsistency.. anyway, here's chapter 11. Enjoy!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter Eleven: Girls and their stuffed toys…**

* * *

"Damn!" Usagi cursed as Sailor V died yet again. Motoki began to laugh and the bubbly blonde turned to give an intimidating glare at the upperclassman. "YOU try this level if you think it's so funny!"

"Hey, I didn't say anything, Usagi-chan," Motoki replied defensively, hands raised in submission. "And besides, the only two people who've ever gotten this far in the game are Ami-chan and you."

Usagi turned back to the console and inserted another quarter. Under the guidance of her blue-haired Senshi she cleared the levels in the game to where she had previously lost. Three pairs of eyes watched the girl eagerly as Usagi focused all her attention on the level, determined to win. Swiftly manipulating the joystick and rapidly pressing buttons she began to move her body in the dodges she was ordering her Sailor V sprite to do, completely immersed in the game.

Bleeps and flashing lights indicated that she had beaten the level boss and the group crowded around the game cheered, hugging and applauding Usagi as she grinned in triumph.

A rattle could be heard from the console and a package was coughed out from under the controls. It clattered to the floor as the teenagers stared at it in astonishment.

"I didn't know the game dished out prizes," Mamoru commented in interest. His blonde brother merely gaped at the console, shocked he hadn't seen it happen before.

Usagi picked up the package from the floor, inspecting its silver foil. Tearing it opened she uncovered a collectable card depicting the silhouette of a woman overlooking a garden from a balcony, the night sky overlooking the garden.

"That doesn't make sense," Ami said, "that's the Earth in the sky, not the moon."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Usagi replied. "So maybe… this is the moon?"

"What would a card like that…"

"… be doing in the game? It's kinda –"

"I know – hey, do you reckon –"

"Nah, couldn't be. But maybe she's…"

"Sailor V? Who knows?"

Whilst Usagi and Ami continued the disjointed conversation the upperclassmen watched, heads jerking back and forth between the two, watching them like a tennis match in amazement. "Maybe Sailor V has something to do with our own heroine," Mamoru interrupted with a chuckle, picturing the Senshi he saved so many times a week. "Maybe she's Sailor Moon."

"Definitely not." The girls replied simultaneously.

Silence loomed over the four as the boys stared at them incredulously.

"You… you just said that in perfect unison. Same intonation and everything," Motoki observed, eyes wide. "And what's with you guys finishing each other's sentences? Care to complete them so we get clued in on what you guys are talking about?"

"What can we say…"

"… we must be on the same wavelength." Ami and Usagi grinned at them in amusement.

The truth was, they had no idea how they suddenly started knowing what the other was thinking without it being vocalised. As the days progressed they started feeling in sync with each other, anticipating the other Senshi's words and actions. Though it was far from mind reading it felt to them like they instinctively knew the other's reactions.

Before they could interrogate them further, a figure walked up towards them and leaned down to Usagi. "Hey babe, wanna catch a movie tonight?"

She looked up to Kei apologetically. "Hey, Kei! I'm really, really sorry, but I promised Mamoru-kun we'd hang out today, but you're welcome to stay with us."

Since the argument the previous day Usagi and Mamoru promised that at _least_ one day a week they'd spend hanging out together, whether other people were present or just on their own. It wasn't doing any good for them to cancel on each other and not go out once in a while. Usagi felt good that they had conquered the rift caused by their boyfriend and girlfriend.

Today she was determined not to be the cause of another argument.

Kei, however, was not aware of this arrangement, and frowned before glancing at the upperclassmen. He sighed. "Fine."

"I'm sorry… I promise I'll call you later today, okay?" she replied, standing to look him in the eyes, remorse in her own. At his nod she moved to embrace him, but he merely kissed her cheek and left. Usagi frowned at his movement, but it was nothing compared to the look of utter contempt from Mamoru which had formed the moment he had stepped towards the group.

_What was that all about?_

* * *

Kei stormed out of the arcade scowling.

_She's supposed to be totally crazy about me, isn't she? Why choose _that_ pretty boy over me?_ The thought of Mamoru made him even more angered than before. _What's so special about _him He almost crashed into the girl walking into the glass doors, glancing at the girl in the uniform of Moto Azabu High School, recognizing her as Sato Meiko, Mamoru's girlfriend before walking a few more paces and stopping, out of sight from anyone in the Crown Arcade.

_She can't spend more time with him than me. I'm gonna make sure of that. I swore to _her_ that she would be dealt with, and I'm _not_ going to lose._ Kei rested against the wall, exhaling to calm himself down, while wishing he was with Usagi instead. That thought frustrated him, despite the face that he felt his face begin to relax and the anger fade slightly.

_This wasn't part of the goal…_

But thinking of the girl's pure beauty and innocence only spurred on the feelings he long denied.

Watching Mamoru's girlfriend leave the arcade in much of the same fashion as he, Kei pondered the situation for a moment longer, wondering how he could get Mamoru away from Usagi. If Sato had no luck, then they were serious about spending the day together. Kei walked off, determined to talk to _her_ and figure out how she could help him, though he knew she wouldn't be pleased at his lack of progress.

_By any means necessary._ That was the addendum she made when she ordered him to get rid of her. And Kei was confident of his ability to do exactly that.

One thing was sure though; he _wanted_ Usagi, and no one else was allowed to have her.

* * *

"OHHH!!! Mamoru-kun, can you _pleeeeaaaassee_get that for me??"

He looked up from the counter to see her bouncing up and down excitedly at the crane game. Mamoru shook his head in amusement at the sight of Usagi squealing at some poor, unfortunate plushie, whom, when he was through with it, would be at the mercy of a cooing teenager.

"Must I?" he queried the man behind the counter.

Motoki chuckled. "She'll bother you about it until the cows come home."

"Mamoru-kuuuun! Onegaaaaiii?"

"Alright, alright!" The raven haired boy replied with a laugh. "Sheesh, Odango, you're such a brat sometimes!" Mamoru stifled another snicker at the annoyance growing in Usagi's face as he walked towards the game. "Don't you think you have _enough_ teddy bears and rabbits to last you your previous lifetime and the next too?"

"It's_not_ a teddy bear," Usagi corrected defiantly.

"Oh? So what is it?" Mamoru replied with enthusiasm as his paced increased. _Oh boy. This should be good. What could there possibly be that Odango would squeal over and beg me to win for her? _He stopped beside her, Motoki in tow. "Alright… let's see this stuffed toy. His eyes followed the movement of her hand. Usagi grinned eagerly as she pointed to the catcher doll towards the right of the machine. And when they rested on the object of desire Mamoru's eyes widened.

"_Tuxedo Kamen?! _You want me to get _Tuxedo Kamen?!"_ he asked incredulously. He could feel Motoki shaking with suppressed laughter and the upperclassman was itching to jab him in the ribs painfully.

"It's so cuuuute!" she sighed, not noticing the discomfort Mamoru was feeling. "He's so gorgeous…"

"Are you talking about the plushie, or the actual person?" Motoki queried, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"_Both_…" Usagi sighed dreamily. Mamoru slumped against the glass of the crane game. He didn't quite know what to make of the situation, nor did he know how he felt about the fact. _Usagi likes…__Usagi has a crush on… Usagi… she…_

Before anyone knew it, Mamoru burst into laughter, sliding off the game onto the floor.

"You have a crush on a SUPERHERO!" He watched as the girl flushed and Mamoru smug grin widened. The fact that she – unknowingly – had a crush on him was so absurd he couldn't help but milk the situation for all it was worth. Motoki glanced warningly at him but he paid no heed to his brother's advice. "So what's so attractive about him? His dreamy looks, his gorgeous eyes, the tuxedo get-up, the way he dashes into battle and saves Sailor Moon like a true knight in shining armour?" Mamoru couldn't help but note as he made dramatic hand movements to go with his taunt that he was essentially paying himself out in front of everyone, but only Motoki knew _that_.

"Well what about _you_?" Usagi shot back, a sinister look in her eyes. "After all, I _do_ recall a few weeks ago hearing a certain friend of mine state that Sailor Moon looked _sexy_ in that fuku."

It was her turn to watch in satisfaction as Mamoru's smiled promptly left his face and he looked down in embarrassment. The ball in her court, she took the newfound power over him and decided to exploit it. "Why Mamoru, a little _shy_, are we? Embarrassed that people know you got a _thing_ for her?" She playfully jabbed him in the ribs, feeling no discomfort at the fact that Mamoru had unwittingly stated he thought her outfit to be a turn on. _What he doesn't know can't hurt him_. "Aww… Mamoru's all red!" she cooed, before bursting out into giggles.

"Sh-shut up!" he stammered, pushing her intrusive hand away. "What makes you think you're any more likely to be with Tuxedo Kamen than I with Sailor Moon? Last I checked you had a superhero crush too!"

Usagi's eyes gleamed, the challenge unknowingly laid out before them. "Sailor Moon is way too gorgeous and too busy fighting the bad guys to date an _already taken_ upper-classman!" she declared triumphantly, the knowledge she possessed being able to give her an edge in their banter. She ignored Ami's stutters and prods as she stared down Mamoru – quite a feat, considering her height. _God I miss these fights and pointless arguments…_

_Damn it. If you think you've got the upper hand, Usagi-chan, you're wrong! Not with all I know! _"Odango, everyone knows that Sailor Moon is a klutz. And everyone knows that Tuxedo Kamen saves her all the time from danger. Are you sure that he isn't in love with _her_? You'd be chasing after air if that were the case. He'd have his eyes on someone else. On _Sailor Moon_. Not a plushie-loving teenager." He didn't hear the deliberate coughs behind him.

"Same goes for Sailor Moon!" she retorted. "Who's to say she isn't in love with _him_? What makes you think you stand a chance?"

"Because I'm so drop dead gorgeous!"

"Arrrgh!" she screamed in frustration, grabbing his arms and shaking him furiously. "You are so full of yourself! Why must my best friend be the cockiest person on the planet?!"

"It's not cocky if you know it's true," Mamoru said with a grin.

"Arrogant jerk."

"Hopeless romantic."

"Egotistical moron."

"Klutzy teenager."

"You're no less of a teenager than I am! The way you act most times, you're more like a child!"

"Child?! Oh yeah, well who's the one who has her hair up in dumplings, eh?" Mamoru stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her flush against him to stop her struggles and wiggles one of her hair buns. "Trying to be like Sailor Moon?"

"WHAT?!" she screeched, but he carried on without so much as a flinch.

"Odango! Odango! Odango! Odango Atama!"

"Are you guys quite done yet?"

Motoki's voice finally reached out to them and they looked around to see an amused Motoki, a blushing Ami (who suddenly seemed _very_ interested in a Sailor V plushie in the long forgotten crane game) and several arcade patrons staring at them. Finally they looked at each other and their position and their faces flushed red. They averted gazes and seemed to everyone that they were intent _not_to stare each other down this time.

Usagi looked down at Mamoru's black tie. "I've always had my hair like this," she whispered softly. "You know that…"

"Yeah," Mamoru replied, loosening his grip. "I know. I was just teasing."

"I know." She disentangled herself from his arms and picked up her bag. "I'm gonna go home. I'm beat."

She dashed out of the arcade faster than Tuxedo Kamen's roses when they struck the ground during a battle. Usagi ran all the way home, not stopping, and crashed onto her bed. Thankful that Luna was not present she groaned in frustration.

Two days in a row they found themselves in awkward situations!

_It wouldn't have been so awkward if it wasn't for yesterday!_ she thought defiantly. _We've done that kind of thing before… why is it so awkward for us now?_

Why did they suddenly find close proximities unnerving? Since when did their closeness… _bother_ her so much?

_I don't know_, Usagi admitted as she pondered that thought. _I honestly don't know… I don't know why suddenly it feels so different to be around him… why suddenly he just looks so… so…_

_So GOOD…_

Usagi yawned as her thoughts began to stray into the world of dreams. _One day he was just my friend, now he's actually attractive… but he's just my friend, so I don't know why he's so good-looking now… and Motoki…he's good-looking too but I don't see why it seems so different between them to me… Motoki… well… I have no idea how I feel, and Mamoru… this is just… so… confusing… and… I think… well, I don't… really… know… what… to… think…_

* * *

_The Earth was high in the sky as she wondered through the gardens. She looked up into the star-filled sky and sighed._

"_It's so beautiful…"_

_A voice called from outside the palace. She hurried inside to avoid the raven-haired Senshi. The voice became more angry and she giggled. She saw a flash of red walk past the hallway as the Senshi muttered in frustration. "Where is she?"_

"_I'm right here…" she whispered mischievously, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hear her. Hurriedly she ran to her bedroom and shut her door, sighing in relief. "It's getting harder and harder to avoid them."_

_Slowly she walked towards her balcony. "Sugoi," she whispered. "The Earth looks so much more beautiful from here…"_

"_I would hope so."_

_She gasped as she looked down._

_He looked so… beautiful. From his armoured knee-length boots to the chest armour he wore. God how she wanted to trace the silver designs on it. His black tunic and armour seemed less imposing without his red and black cape. She knew the touch of the velvet material of his sleeves by memory, and her hands were already twitching in anticipation at the thought of being reacquainted with his arms. The night sky hid his face from view, but she didn't need light to remember those stormy blue eyes._

"_What are you doing here?!" she whispered harshly. "You could've been caught!"_

"_But I wasn't, now was I?" he quickly climbed up the wall up to her balcony, setting food on the marble floor and took the three steps needed to enfold her in his embrace. "I've missed you so much."_

"_Endy…" she sighed and ran her hands over his broad chest to the buckles. Quickly she unfastened his armour and caught the pieces before they fell to the floor. She gently placed them on her bed and turned herself to see him cautiously slide his boots off, aware of the noise it makes. When he finishes she kicked off her heels and ran to his arms once more._

"_Is it becoming of a lady to walk around barefoot?" he commented in amusement. She merely grinned innocently and reached up to kiss him on the cheek._

"_My room, my rules," she replied softly. "How did you get here? I thought you had meetings all day!"_

"_That was true, until I became… unexpectedly ill."_

"_Endymion!" she giggled. "Since when did a prince shirk his commitments?"_

_He merely chuckled and picked her up, spinning around while she contained her shrieks of laughter as much as possible. Picking her up bridal style he set her gently on the bed before turning her lamp on. "Ever since I met you," Endymion replied simply. He turned to face her and she finally saw his face in its entirety. She looked up to those pure azure eyes and his hair, dark as night. She eyed his angular jaw and rose lips, which she wished he would put to better use than talking, and slowly she sat up and set her own lips against them._

_Endymion pulled her up against him and broke their brief kiss, placing one on her collarbone before nuzzling her neck. She shuddered at the feel of his breath against her skin, closing her eyes and savouring the feel. _

"_Usagi…" he whispered._

Usagi?_She thought, frowning. _

"_Usagi-chan…"_

"ODANGO!"

Her eyes fluttered open to see the same stormy blue eyes staring back at her. "Endy…?"

"No, what planet are _you_ on?" Mamoru replied with a chuckle. He sat on the bed as Usagi sat up, straightening out her uniform. "Who's Endy?"

"I… I don't actually know." Usagi stood and walked to her wardrobe, pulling out a shirt and shorts. "A… prince, I guess. Turn around please." Mamoru obliged and Usagi pulled off her uniform. "Now that I think about it… he looked exactly like you. It was a weird dream though," she continued. Looking at the shirt she realised she didn't like it and scowled, throwing the offending apparel over her shoulder. "That card that I won at the Sailor V game… I was in that exact place. On a balcony with the earth in the sky." She turned to the wardrobe, pulling out shirts and tossing them behind her. "And there was some random Sailor Senshi in red looking for me." _It can't hurt to tell him that, _she thought conclusively_. It's not like a senshi like that even exists._ She pulled out a long-sleeve shirt and threw that behind her as well.

"You have one strange imagination." Mamoru replied. "_And_you play that Sailor V game far too much."

"Oh be quiet," she snapped, throwing the shorts she picked up over her shoulder too. "You're just jealous that you can't get as far as I."

A hand touched her back right under her bra strap and she jumped, shrieking. "Oh be quiet," Mamoru echoed unwaveringly as he searched through her wardrobe. "What was I suppose to do, sit there and let you bury me in six feet of apparel? It's not like I haven't seen you in your underwear before anyway!"

Usagi blushed and slapped his back. "Baka! That's not the point!"

"But I do have a point! My point is," he countered, silencing her with a finger on her lips, "that you shouldn't think so much about it." He pulled out an item from his bag. "Here, take your mind off your self-consciousness."

He placed in her hands the Tuxedo Kamen plushie. Usagi's eyes widened and she cooed over the doll as Mamoru looked through her wardrobe for an outfit. "Mamo-kun!! You got me the plushiieee!" Mamoru rolled his eyes at the nickname and her tone of voice. "It's so cute! Don't you think so?"

"Sure, if I was a teenage girl in love with a stuffed toy," he replied dryly. "Here," he said, handing her some clothes, only to stop as she stared at the doll. "What's wrong?"

"You didn't have to get me it, Mamoru-kun," she stated shyly. "Especially after the scene we made of ourselves in the arcade…"

He laughed and pulled her towards him, the clothes and Tuxedo Kamen squashed between them as he embraced her. "You're my best friend, Usagi-chan. I might complain about some catcher doll, but in the end, I will get you anything you ever want. No matter the cost or the time taken, you want it? It's yours."

"Really?" she whispered with a soft smile.

"Yeah," he replied, copying the gesture. "Now get dressed. You've got homework to do." He kissed her on the cheek and dumped the clothes in her hands. "I'm gonna clean up this mess you made, and we'll get started on that math, ne?"

Usagi smiled at him, and bent over, leaning on his back as he bent down to grab the clothes off her bed. "Okay," she whispered, returning the kiss. Thoughts of the dream and the arcade faded from her memory as she started making the Tuxedo Kamen plushie dance, earning a few tossed items of clothing her way as Mamoru laughed at her. Before long, they finally got her wardrobe back in order and they walked down to the study together, leaving the plushie on its new special place on the bed.

* * *

So… what exactly am I up to this new year?

Now… after all the hectic-ness of the last few months… I'm just waiting for uni to roll around. I'm going Software Engineering and Science at UNSW, which starts in March. On Thursday afternoons, however, I have no classes, so I'm going to reserve that for fanfiction writing! But be warned – depending on the workload it might not work out so well (

Oh, a little note… if what Mamoru said about cockiness sounds familiar, listen to _Sexy Ladies_ by Justin Timberlake. I've had most of his songs stuck in my head – Sexyback is my ringtone now for crying out loud!

What am I doing talking?! Gotta write the next chapter!


	14. Chapter 12

Hey guys! Sorry for a very long wait. Uni has got me bogged down. Thankfully it's holidays now, and I'm in Singapore at the moment! It's awesome! Shopping, efficient transportation and warm weather!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter Twelve – Hold your tongues!**

* * *

Luna felt the bed shuffle and she opened an eye to see Usagi getting herself out of bed. Her eyes shot wide open and the feline stared out the window to see the sun was only just rising. Usagi opened her wardrobe, humming softly to herself.

"Usagi-chan!" she hissed in shock.

The blonde turned around and smiled at her. "Good Morning, Luna."

"It's not even 6!"

Usagi chuckled at the black cat, pulling her uniform out of the closet. "I know." She smoothed out the shirt and undid the buttons of her pyjamas. "Lately I've been feeling less and less tired. I don't know why… maybe it's because I'm not fighting the Dark Kingdom all by myself this time." Usagi looked in the mirror as she unfastened the last few buttons and pulled her top off before fastening a pink bra on. Turning to the bed she fixed the sheets and laid her pillow on top, smiling as she placed the Tuxedo Kamen doll on the mattress. "And… also, I…" Usagi sighed, sitting down on the bed again.

"You what?" Luna queried in concern.

"I had a dream…" she whispered. "Flying buses, fire and red are all I seem to remember of it, though."

Luna snorted at the trivial turn the conversation took. "Flying buses? Here I thought you started dreaming about the Dark Kingdom."

"But that's the thing… It felt… ominous. Like the way the air feels when the Dark Kingdom attacks."

"It's probably nothing, Usagi-chan. You've just been seeing too much of the Dark Kingdom recently, and your brain is still thinking about it even in your subconscious."

"I guess…" A light outside her open window caught her attention and she looked up to see Mamoru sit up on his bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Usagi giggled. _It's not often that people get to see Chiba Mamoru, of all people, so ruffled._ He stretched his arms, the muscles on his back flexing with the movements. Mamoru ran his hand through his hair, pushing back his bangs futilely. A yawn escaped his mouth and he glared at what Usagi knew was his alarm clock.

She averted her gaze from the upper-classman, however, when her cell phone rang. She picked it up to find Kei had messaged her, agreeing to see her that afternoon.

Usagi sighed in relief.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"Kei was mad at me for not seeing him yesterday… I asked him last night if he'd meet up with me to make up for it. I was _so_ worried that he'd say no."

Luna opened her mouth to reply, but the shrill ring of her phone once again diverted her attention to the device in her hands.

"Moshi-moshi."

"Odango, you haven't been up this early in weeks."

Usagi turned around to see Mamoru leaning at his window, watching her as he slipped his school shirt on. "Mamoru-kun! Ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Usagi-chan," he replied, smirking. "Decided to listen to your alarm clock this time?"

She stuck her tongue at him and heard him chuckle. "I got up on my own volition, thank you very much. There's only so much I can take of having detention for being late to school."

"I'm guessing you're feeling a little better these days."

"Yeah, I am." She turned back to her wardrobe to pull out her skirt. "It's funny, but I'm not so tired anymore. A few weeks ago, I could hardly get out of bed!" Usagi fumbled through her drawers, searching for a pair of white socks while resting the cell on her shoulder, chatting to Mamoru on the phone. "Oh, you know that math question I was stuck on?" she asked after a while, recalling the homework she was finishing the previous afternoon.

"Yeah," Mamoru answered, and Usagi heard rustling on his end of the line. She pulled out the ball of socks she was looking for and sat at her vanity, trying to pull the sock on one-handed. "What about it?"

"Well, I had a look at it again last night, and I _think_ I got it right… but I'm not too sure… could you have a look for me?"

"…"

"Mamoru?"

"Hang on…"

She frowned. His voice sounded louder than before. "It shouldn't take you that long to answer a simple question such as that! What are you doing?"

"You didn't change the period of the sine curve."

"Yeah, that's what I th- hang on, how did you know what my…" she turned around and shrieked. Or at least she would have, had Mamoru not pressed his hand to her mouth first.

"Baka! Don't scream! You'll wake everyone else up!" he hissed.

Usagi glared at him. "_You_ need to stop sneaking into my room like that!"

"But it's so much fun!" he replied, pouting.

"Idiot. Stop doing it. Even though it_ feels_ like we practically live in each other's houses..."

Mamoru grinned. "Yeah... At the rate our fathers are going, they're going to turn this into one huge house and all of us will live in it." They laughed as he showed her where she had to fix her graph and waited for her to change as he stood outside her door. She emerged from her room in her uniform and they walked downstairs with their school bags, as though it were the most natural thing for Mamoru to be in the Tsukino household at six in the morning before school started.

Which, in some ways, was true.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Mamoru-kun," Ikuko (the only one ever up at this time in the Tsukino household) greeted when they walked into the kitchen. "I didn't hear you come in."

After all, most of the time, Mamoru did the proper thing and actually used the front door.

"Pancakes?" Ikuko asked, and Usagi and Mamoru's eyes widened in joy.

"Yes please!" The pair answered. Ikuko smiled and set two plates of pancakes on the dining table, and they happily sat down beside each other and began to devour the food.

The doorbell rang several minutes later and Usagi answered it to see Motoki stride in, looking quite cross. He searched the foyer and saw the black hair he was looking for in the dining room, before walking right up to his brother and smacking him on the back of his head. "You could have warned me that you were going here."

"Oh, don't be a crybaby, Motoki. I wasn't going to walk to school without you. How would you find your way there if I did?"

"Don't play with me," Motoki snapped. "There was _no way_ I was going to let you have all of Ikuko-san's pancakes all to yourself!"

The three present laughed at the huffing seventeen-year old, who eyed the pancakes hungrily. Ikuko chuckled and brought in a plate for the boy who practically grew up as a son to her.

The three sat at the table eating away. Usagi was chatting happily about how she was going to visit the Hikawa shrine with Ami-chan that afternoon before meeting up with Kei. Mamoru and Motoki listened in, the former holding his tongue about her boyfriend, while all three of them counted in their heads silently, waiting for the doorbell.

Sure enough, the doorbell rang, and in ran Unazuki, almost running over Ikuko, and she berated _both_ her brothers for not waiting for her and leaving all the pancakes for themselves. The three almost fell out of their seats laughing at the distraught look on her face, and at 6:30 in the morning, Unazuki's cries had managed to wake up Shingo, who nearly fell down the stairs as he called to the group to save some for him, shocking the rest of the group for willingly waking up so early.

Tsukino Ikuko's pancakes were definitely a hit among the kids.

* * *

"I'm sorry for making you come out to the shrine with me, Usagi-chan."

Usagi looked at her in amazement. "Are you kidding? I've never even seen it before! I reckon it'll be cool!" she happily skipped onto the bus and paid the toll. "I _did_ promise you I would take you all around Azabu, did I not?"

"Apparently, there's a beautiful priestess at the temple." Ami and Usagi walked to the back of the bus and sat down, Luna settling onto Usagi's lap. "I wonder what it's like to work at a temple..."

"I think it would be so awesome to be a priestess," Usagi sighed. They continued to chat excitedly about the shrine as the bus stopped at T.A Private Girls' School. Ami looked out the window and saw the girls exit the school gates, a few making their way onto the bus. Usagi saw her curious gaze and explained, "The school's taught mostly by nuns. It's a Catholic Girls' School with an escalator program. Although," she added with a whisper, "Mamoru-kun always makes a point of the school having _much_ shorter skirts than any other school." She rolled her eyes at the remembrance of Mamoru's comment as Ami giggled. "Boys…"

One particular girl stood before them in front of the rear doors. Usagi couldn't help but observe her in fascination. She was beautiful, and from the way she carried herself Usagi could tell she was graceful. Her black hair fell gently across her shoulders, stopping at the small of her back. Piercing violet eyes looked out the glass doors pensively, a slight frown on her face. The student was ignorant of all the other girls from T.A, who looked on admiringly. Usagi could see why. She seemed like a model.

And yet, something nagged at her mind. Despite how much she tried to shake it out of her head, the same thought occurred to her over and over again.

_I know her…_

"She's beautiful," Usagi heard her companion comment, and she could only unconsciously nod as she pondered the familiarity of the girl.

Wrapped up in her thoughts, she was surprised to find the girl alight the bus at the same destination as they. Usagi moved with the intent to follow her, but a wailing to their right stopped her movements.

"I don't wanna get on the bus! It's scary! I don't wanna disappear!"

"Tsuruko-chan, you're such a crybaby!" her friend complained. Hurry up!"

"No! The bus will vanish! I know it will!"

Usagi and Ami looked at each other in puzzlement, before simultaneously shrugging their shoulders and making their way up the stairs to the Hikawa shrine. Usagi sighed as she looked at the sakura trees, a few cherry blossoms landing in her hair. The atmosphere already soothed her, and she made a mental note to bring Motoki and Mamoru there one day.

When they reached the top of the stairs Usagi saw a bunch of girls from various middle schools standing at a window in the shrine. Each group that passed had charms from the shrine. Some stopped to make a quick prayer before leaving. Others tied their luck fortunes to a tree branch, hoping that it would dispel the ominous fortunes that they had drawn.

Ami walked towards the shrine with Usagi and Luna in tow. They were standing at the booth, wanting to see the charms that the shrine offered when a conversation caught their interest.

"I'm telling you, it's true! The police don't even know how it happened, but the bus just _vanished_!"

"There's no trace of it. It happens every night with the 6:00 bus passing through Sendai Hill!"

"I hear they're starting to call it the Phantom Bus, because no one ever sees it go missing. Like it never existed"

"And all the people in it…"

"What happens to them?"

"…they just vanish. No one knows where they are."

The schoolgirls looked at the pair telling the story, and one just laughed. "That's absurd! There's no way a bus can just _disappear_ into thin air!"

"It's true! Tatsuya caught that bus everyday! But no one's heard from him for two days!"

"I'm sure he's just skipping school or something."

Usagi and Ami moved to ask the girls about the bus disappearances when a short man stopped in their way. "I sense you have something on your minds." They looked down to see an elderly man no higher than their waists. "May I tempt you in a ritual dance to dispel your worries?"

"N-no thank you," Usagi replied, not liking that gleam in his eyes.

"Please, I insist!"

"Oji-san, leave them alone," a female voice called behind them. The girls turned around and Usagi's eyes widened.

_It's that girl!_ She was no longer in her school uniform, instead wearing the robes of a miko. _She's the priestess!_ She seemed even more mysterious than before, and again, familiarity washed over Usagi.

"It's a pleasure to meet the priestess of the shrine," Ami stated, bowing before the miko. The priestess scowled and walked past them, smacking her grandfather lightly on the head. Ami blushed and stood upright, realising just _where_ his gaze was set.

"Oji-san, please! You're going to scare everyone away!" she sighed as she ushered her grandfather away, and turned to the girls. "I'm sorry about that… sometimes he still thinks he's a hormonal teenager."

Ami's blush increased and Usagi laughed. "Poor Ami-chan… I'm Tsukino Usagi," she greeted, bowing, "and this is Mizuno Ami."

"K-konnichiwa," Ami added, still flustered.

"My name is Hino Rei. Hajime mashite," the priestess replied. "I am the grand-daughter to this shrine's priest."

"Ano… if you do not mind me asking," Ami began, "we saw you earlier on the bus. You go to T.A, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, this shrine is a place of worship for the Shinto religion. But you go to a Catholic school…" Usagi looked at Ami with wide eyes, seeing her point.

"My father wanted me to go to a Catholic school," Rei replied. She turned her head away, and the Senshi understood she did not wish to speak on that subject.

Usagi opened her mouth to ask another question, but a woman had walked up to the group.

"Hino-san."

The priestess turned around to greet the woman. "Sakamoto-san. How can I help you?"

"Have you seen Nao-chan?"

"Not since yesterday," Rei answered with a frown. "Did something happen to her?"

"She never came home."

The girls stood in silence as the mother spoke in despair. "None of her friend's parents had her over last night and she never went to school today. I'm so worried! I know she comes by here every afternoon to see you… I had hoped that… you knew where she might be."

"Gomen nasai… but I don't know."

The woman thanked her and walked away, and Rei looked down at the floor, deep in thought. Usagi walked up to her and bent over to see her face. "Rei-san?"

"Several parents come asking about their children… sometimes I think they suspect us to be responsible."

"But why?"

"Because the buses that disappear always pass by this stop beforehand. They say that Sendai Hill, at the intersection where 5 roads meet at the bottom of the shrine steps, had a sixth road, where the bus is said to travel down and disappear." She sighed and walked towards the temple. "My family is gifted with ESP and other intuitive powers. Most people fear it and believe we're the cause of the disappearances."

"That's wrong!" Usagi cried. "This shrine is a place of prayer and hope! They can't seriously believe you are behind the missing students!"

Rei smiled weakly at the blonde teenager. "Thank you, Usagi-chan."

"No prob- WHOA!" she felt two hands push her and she wobbled on her feet, flailing her arms in an attempt to stay balanced. A masculine laugh behind her caught her attention and she spun around once her feet were steady, glaring at the High School student. "MAMORU-BAKA!"

"Why, hello there, Odango-atama!" Mamoru replied with a grin. Motoki stood beside him with a smile. "After all you excited chatter about this place we thought we'd check it out too."

"It _is _pretty cool though," Motoki added. He looked at Rei after scanning the area. "You're the priestess here?"

Rei bowed. "Yes, I am. A pleasure to meet you all."

"Rei-chan!"

She looked behind her and sighed. "I must return to my duties. Farewell."

"Matte, Rei-san!" Usagi walked towards her. "I want you to know I don't believe the accusations they're making about you." Usagi held her hand out to her.

The Shinto priestess smiled softly. "Arigatou, Usagi-chan." She shook her hand and both gasped. Usagi felt something shoot through her body at the contact. They let go immediately, and Usagi felt like her hand had been scalded. Rei pulled her hand away and gazed curiously at Usagi before returning to the temple. And despite the nudgings from Mamoru, Usagi's eyes continued to follow the retreating figure, remembering the feeling she had experienced.

_There's something about her… I just can't put my finger on it._

* * *

"She was so pretty!"

Mamoru rolled his eyes at her. Usagi had not stopped talking about the priestess since they left the shrine. Even now, as they were riding the bus, she was _still_ raving about the girl.

Motoki saw the annoyance of his brother and laughed. "Yeah, she was something else."

"MOTOKI! Don't encourage her!"

Ami giggled at the trio. A few people turned around to watch the conversation between the four seated on the back seat of the bus.

"She hardly needs it. I think I saw stars in her eyes the first time we saw her."

"Ami-chaaan!" The group laughed as Ami smiled in triumph as Usagi began to wail. The bus slowed to a stop and she stood.

"Here's my stop. Have a good evening, minna!"

The trio waved and watched Ami alight the bus. Motoki wrapped an arm around Usagi's shoulder. "You've got a good friend there, Usagi-chan."

Usagi smiled softly as she leaned into Motoki's arms. "Thanks." As the bus began to move again she watched Ami as it passed her until she was no longer in sight. "She's helped me so much through the last few weeks with my grades, and as someone to talk to."

"Wow, I'm beginning to think we're not needed anymore."

The blonde's head snapped around to face Mamoru, who sat on her other side. "Don't be stupid, Mamoru-kun! You two can't be replaced at all!"

"Well obviously Motoki isn't, seeing he's currently acting as your head rest." Usagi raised an eyebrow at his obvious displeasure at feeling left out and placed Luna on his lap before snuggling further into the sandy-haired upper-classman's embrace.

"There you go. You can mind my cat."

Motoki began to laugh as Mamoru rolled his eyes, but nevertheless began to stroke Luna's fur absent-mindedly. Usagi sighed as she closed her eyes, hearing the boys banter at the situation before falling into idle chatter. The last time Motoki had held her like that was back when they were still little, before and shortly after they met Mamoru. After the Furuhatas adopted him she had found herself placed in his arms more often than her old friend's. And she missed it.

_Not like Mamoru didn't make me feel safe… but it just feels so different to when I'm with Mamoru. _That was one thing she noticed when she was with them. Mamoru tended to make her more aware of things, and Motoki always made her forget everything else. With Mamoru she felt a myriad of emotions, from happiness to annoyance to even anger when they fought. With Motoki it was secure and familiar. She was calmer around him, and always happy but never as emotional. They were too comfortable and familiar for there to be any outbursts of joy, anger or surprise. And they hardly ever argued. Mamoru complemented her, with his personality being so vastly different to hers, and Motoki empathised with her, having both been brought up the same way.

_That's why I can never replace you two… because you two give me both sides of the coin I've been needing all my life. _Mamoru and Motoki were the complete opposite of each other. Mamoru was cool, calm and collected, whereas Motoki was open and spontaneous. Mamoru held everything in while his brother let everything out. She found it amazing that they clicked so well as friends and brothers. _But like they say… opposites attract._

When she thought about their personalities and how they seemed to encompass everything she could have in friends, Usagi suddenly began to wonder where Kei fit in. Every category seemed to be filled by Mamoru or Motoki, and if neither fit, then Ami would cover that spot. It occurred to her that she confided in all three about various things but not Kei. _There's something else… _she said to herself. _There's something I'm forgetting… But I can't for the life of me remember what it was._

Motoki's arms shifted and Usagi wrapped an arm around his waist, protesting at the movement.

"Usagi-chan, I have to get off." Slowly she blinked her eyes opened and looked up to see Motoki looking down at her affectionately. "I'm sorry. I know you were comfortable. But I have to go to work."

Usagi reluctantly righted herself as Motoki stood up. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll let you mop floors and clean glassware. Well, plastic, ever since Mamoru started breaking them."

The seventeen-year-old chuckled. "See you later."

She watched Motoki get off the bus and Luna jumped into her lap. "There's something strange about that girl… and those rumours."

Luna stretched up to whisper in her ear. "The priestess?"

She nodded to herself. "Rei… something feels odd about her. And these bus disappearances… they're too suspicious," she whispered back. Then she frowned. "Buses…"

"Rei could be from the Dark Kingdom."

"WHAT?!" Usagi shrieked. "No way!" She glared at Luna, and watched as the feline cringed. "What's that look for?"

"What's what look for, Odango?"

Usagi froze and turned to face a smirking upper-classman. "Mamoru?!"

"That would be me. I'm hurt that you could even forget I was here!" He laughed at the colour returned to Usagi's cheeks, as she looked away in embarrassment. "And talking to yourself in public? That's one of many signs of insanity."

"Oh, as if you've never had a conversation with yourself before."

"True, but I've never actually vocalised it before." He pinched her cheek playfully as his chuckles began to subside. "You're right though."

"What?"

He looked out the window at a group of junior high students. "Those rumours of bus disappearances… it may not just be a rumour. Some of my classmates said their siblings never came home last night."

"Really?"

"Yeah… unless someone finds out what's going on, they'll never find the missing kids…"

Usagi watch as Mamoru frowned thoughtfully. She studied his profile while his attention was diverted. _Mamoru really _is_ good-looking… I've always known it… but… what I don't get is why now all of a sudden it means something._ Images of roses and a white domino mask came to her and she cocked her head in contemplation. _Is it because of Tuxedo Kamen? I mean, Mamoru does kinda look like him…_

Mamoru turned his head to look at her as she put her hand to her mouth as she continued to think. "Is there's something on my face?" he asked in amusement.

She shook her head softly. "No…" Usagi whispered. _Am I attracted to Mamoru because he reminds me of Tuxedo Kamen? _She thought of her masked saviour and wished she could be with him.

Mamoru watched the emotions flash across his best friend's face. Contemplation, confusion… affection? He immediately thought of her boyfriend and his jaw clenched briefly. _Does she have to think of him?_ He thought angrily. _That brat doesn't deserve to be with her. He doesn't deserve someone so good… so kind… so… so…_

He looked at her as he pondered the thought.

_So beautiful?_

He mentally shook his head. Yes, Usagi was beautiful, but he couldn't have her all to herself, just like he couldn't stop Motoki from making other friends. That point was clear to him when Usagi lost her temper for being so protective and possessive. Her good traits were for everyone to experience, even that boyfriend of hers. The last thought came to him with a hint of resentment. Still, he couldn't help but look appreciatively at her facial features. Curious, cerulean eyes, shimmering, blonde hair and soft skin. A small button nose. Soft lips. _Which pack quite a voice_, he added to himself. It was her eyes he liked the most though, because he could always tell what she was feeling at a single glance. One look, and he knew what was troubling her and knew how to make her feel better.

Just like someone else he knew… he could always tell what she was feeling… every time pain and anguish flashed through her eyes. Every time she faced the enemy in determination, or experienced fear.

_Sailor Moon…_

"WHAAAA?"

Mamoru snapped out of his reverie and realised, by the look on Usagi's face, that he had said that out loud. "Oh… er… nothing."

Usagi laughed shakily. "Right… nothing… Look! Our stop! Let's go!" she immediately stood and bolted for the door, a dazed Mamoru following her footsteps.

As the bus doors closed, a passenger glared at the couple. He knew the students were headed home, and he gripped the paper in his hand with anger and jealousy. He continued to watch as Mamoru caught up to Usagi and the two fell into casual conversation as they walked home. Away from where she was supposed to be.

She had completely forgotten where she should actually go. Where she should actually _be_. She went to the temple with her friend from school. He could forgive that. But she had spent the entire bus ride with _those two boys_. That angered him beyond comprehension.

Ishioka Kei watched the pair as the bus began to move, the two unaware of his piercing gaze.

* * *

"She's not from the Dark Kingdom, Luna."

Usagi had found herself back at the Hikawa temple, determined to investigate the bus disappearances. Something about it felt so familiar but she couldn't place it. As soon as she got home she had changed and left, wanting to find out more about the disappearance and the enigmatic priestess of Hikawa. She had been getting strange vibes from her all day, and couldn't for the life of her figure out why she had those feelings in the first place – let alone what they were trying to tell her.

"How do you figure that, Usagi-chan? You thought Ami was from the Dark Kingdom. Remember how that turned out?" The cat slowed its pace. "Speaking of whom, shouldn't you call her?"

The blonde scowled. "That's not the case now. I just _know_ that she's not… I have no idea why though. And I did call her. She's doing a search on her computer, then she'll meet up with us later." They now stood at the bus stop and Usagi was surprised to see Rei standing there. "Rei-san?"

The priestess turned and smiled softly. "Usagi-chan… please, Don't be so formal around me." She gave Usagi a polite bow. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, you know… just going to a walk." She leaned against the wall and sighed. "A bus sounds like a good idea right now, though."

"You better not get on the bus now," Rei replied ominously.

"What are you… oh, right." She checked her watch. "The six o'clock phantom bus, right?" Usagi chuckled and stood upright, stretching her limbs. "I must admit I'm curious as to weather this bus really disappears or not, but buses don't just _vanish_ into thin air. It's a physical impossibility." Inwardly she groaned at how she sounded exactly like Ami at that point. "All right! I'm gonna get on the bus!"

Rei stared curiously at her. "You're a strange girl, Usagi-chan," she replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. Again, that strange feeling washed over her and Usagi could almost taste what seemed like familiarity in the air.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the engine roar from down the road, and both girls watched the bus slow to a stop before them. Usagi saw the doors open to a cranky bus driver, but seeing a sight she was used to, stepped onto the bus after Rei.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. A shiver ran down her spine and Usagi turned to see all the passengers collapse. "Rei!" she cried as she pointed at the fallen students, only to see Rei stumble to the floor.

"So weak… something's wrong," she wheezed as she eyes began to close.

"NO! Stay awake! Rei-chan!"

"USAGI!"

Her head snapped around to see Mamoru running towards the bus. Quickly she scrambled to the door as quickly as possible, trying to hold Rei's weight, following Luna off the bus, but the doors shut before she could reach out to him. Mamoru stumbled forward as he caught Luna, then placed the feline on the ground and punched the door.

"Mamoru!" She banged on the doors until fatigue began to take over her body, and watched through closing eyes as Mamoru ran alongside the bus whilst it picked up speed. Suddenly the bus bucked and she was thrown towards the back of the bus. Usagi groaned as she hit the back seat, feeling the pain from being flung almost ten metres. She pounded at the back door desperately as the bus flew higher into the air, watching Mamoru run after the bus, his lips forming her name in anger. Glancing at the front Usagi saw a portal open to reveal an endless sea of black. She began to slip in an out of consciousness, and she turned around, just in time to see Mamoru's horror-stricken face before she finally blacked out.

"NO!"

He sank to his knees as the bus was swallowed by the portal, then watched as the spatial distortion shrank before returning back to its original state. Breathing heavily from the effort of chasing after the vehicle he pressed his head to the asphalt, cursing the fact that he had chosen too great a distance to follow her.

He had seen her leave her household and make her way to some unknown destination when he left his own residence to knock on her door. Curious as to where she was headed he tailed her, making sure she wasn't aware of his presence. Now he wished he hadn't. He turned around and saw that Usagi's cat, Luna, had already left the area, leaving a despondent teenager with no idea as to how he was going to go after the bus. He couldn't wait for the _next_ six o'clock bus. By then it would be too late.

_Somehow, I have to find the Senshi._ Although how he would go about doing so, he didn't know. All he knew was somehow, he had to save Usagi. Standing up, he pondered his next move.

"Mamoru-san!"

He cringed. Now was not the time for her.

She sauntered up to him and wrapped an arm around his. "I haven't seen you all day."

He pulled his arm away.

Mamoru didn't have time for that. Only one girl was on his mind at the moment, and it wasn't Meiko.

* * *

_The buses would slow to a stop as they landed smoothly on the ground. It was not road, however. The ground wasn't even visible. She knew it was there, however, because she could walk perfectly fine. _

_Looking around she saw the students, lying unconscious on the 'floor', or passed out over the seats in the bus. There was no way out. All she could see was nothing but black emptiness. Despair began to creep through her and she felt her air supply cut off. Grasping at her neck and trying to force her mouth open, she attempted to ease the panic rushing through every inch of her body._

_She was helpless. She was stuck. She'd be there forever._

_A youma came towards her, with choppy chestnut hair and glaring yellow eyes. Its nails began to lengthen. Slowly it made its journey towards her and she stumbled over, backing away as the youma laughed._

_"Please… stay away," she whimpered as the youma approached. Its smirk grew bigger and she felt the tears begin to form in her eyes, her vision clouding from the accumulating moisture. The youma now stood over her, a full grin of demonic pleasure plastered on its face. She shut her eyes._

_Suddenly she heard the youma howl in pain and her eyes opened to see fire consume the body. Standing defensively before her was a senshi clad in red, long black her falling down her back. _

_"Nobody touches her," she senshi spat angrily at the youma._

Usagi's eyes popped wide open, before cringing at the bus lights. Groaning as the pain returned to her, she pondered her dream.

_That dream was the same one I had this morning! And the girl… she was from the dream I had yesterday, too. _The red senshi outfit was unmistakable. She recalled the voice, and the long black hair. As she blinked her eyes to adjust to the light and the pounding in her head, she fumbled around and her hands fell on a small object. Staring down Usagi realized the item she held was identical to Ami's henshin pen, except it was red with a different symbol on top.

_… Mars?_

She sat up and gasped at the figure a short distance from her. "Rei!"

Scrambling to her knees she ran over to the girl. The priestess was sprawled on the ground twelve feet away, unconscious. Quickly Usagi checked her pulse and sighed in relief at the faint beating from her wrist. Rei was breathing evenly, and Usagi took the brief moment of silence to look around. The surrounding area was exactly like in her dream. Around her the space stretched out to nothingness. Though she was aware that there was a floor beneath her she couldn't see a thing. Pulling her earring out she rolled it away from her and watched as it stayed at the same level.

_This is dangerous, _Usagi thought to herself._ You can't tell what's ground and what isn't._

It was as she stood up and walked to where the object had stopped that she realized the other buses were stationed around the area. Inside she could make out the faint figures of the students trapped inside, slumped against the window or the chairs.

_So if the other students were in the buses… why are we outside?_

"Because you two seemed to last through the draining process, completely intact."

The fourteen-year-old spun around and saw the blonde man she encountered so many times a week standing before her. Usagi cursed as she realized she had spoken that last statement out loud. The blonde man stood with a hand in his pocket and the other at his waist as he eyed her in curiosity. "Amazingly enough, no matter how much energy we took from the other students, you two never completely succumbed to it. How is it that you are standing here before me, where other Earthlings around you fell quickly?" He studied her as Usagi did the same.

He was a handsome man, probably slightly shorter than Mamoru. The man she had come to know as Jadeite didn't look particularly… evil. An image of a laughing man identical to he flashed through her mind and she shook her head of the image. His blond hair was cut short, almost like Mamoru's and his eyes were a lighter shade of blue.

_Somehow… he's familiar to me._

She eyed the red trimming to his grey clothes and the image of the red Senshi came to her once again. She looked around at her surroundings: the buses, the students, Rei, and Jadeite.

The general watched her glance around nervously, as though she were waiting for someone to appear. "If you think you will be saved, I would reconsider that." He snapped his fingers and the bus driver appeared. "Take her energy," he ordered him. "And make sure you take _all_ of it."

"Yes, General Jadeite."

Usagi stepped back. "You don't want to do this," she reasoned. "You don't have to do this." She made eye contact with the general once more and a wave of sympathy washed over her, for whatever reasons, she didn't know. For some reason, she felt no hatred or anger against this man, despite everything he'd done: attacking her friends, her brother and innocent bystanders in this war that had come between the Senshi and the Dark Kingdom.

"Oh, but I think I do." He grinned in what Usagi would have said was very Mamoru-like, had the context of the action not been completely different. Reminding the bus driver of its duty he vanished as the driver morphed into a youma.

One that looked exactly like the one in her dream.

_No way…_ she took a step back and pulled out her brooch, not understanding why everything so far had been almost the same as her dream, except for Rei's presence. Usagi was sure as she shouted out her transformation phrase that Rei wasn't in her dream.

Once her transformation finished she looked up just in time to see the youma lunge at her. "So the little girl able to withstand the draining phase turns out to be Sailor Moon…" his yellow eyes glinted maliciously. "General Jadeite will be most please to hear I had taken you down."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Sailor Moon muttered dryly. She dodged as the youma leaped in her direction again, and watched as its nails began to increase in length.

"It's surprising that this girl managed to last as well," the youma added, cocking its head towards the fallen miko. "A rather resilient person, that one." It charged towards Sailor Moon and the Senshi of the Moon turned briefly towards Rei, who suddenly began to wake up. The Sailor Moon watched as the teenager ran her hand through her raven locks and glanced around nervously, but with a sense of alertness.

Suddenly everything clicked into place.

"REI!" The priestess looked up to see the heroine toss a small pen towards her. It stopped a few metres away from her and Rei looked at Sailor Moon in question.

"GRAB IT!" Sailor Moon looked up and shrieked as she rolled away, just evading what would have been a fatal stab to her chest. The youma inched closer to the fallen Senshi, and Sailor Moon looked up in horror as it came closer and closer.

"Now, Sailor Moon. You… will… die."

A flash of red appeared behind the youma and Usagi ducked as a fireball came streaming through the air. The youma yelped in pain as the fire struck it square in the back and Sailor Moon looked up to see Rei standing in a red and purple senshi outfit, a determined glare on her face.

"Nobody…"

"… touches her," Usagi whispered. The short pondering as to why she knew the events beforehand was quickly brushed aside as she remembered that they weren't safe yet. While the youma was distracted she charged up her tiara and threw it at the youma, releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding until the youma was turned to dust.

The dimension that they had found themselves in faded away as slowly the streets below the Hikawa Shrine rematerialized. Usagi found herself crushed in the embrace of a blue-haired teenager and a cat leapt up to her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek.

"Usagi-chan! Luna told me what happened and I was so worried! We didn't know if we'd be able to get you back!"

"Usagi… Tsukino Usagi?!"

Ami and Luna looked up to see the Senshi of Mars stand, looking at her outfit, Sailor Moon and the pair in disbelief. Usagi saw the bewilderment in all their eyes and cleared her throat.

"Guys… this is Sailor Mars."

* * *

"How did you know?"

Usagi looked down at the feline at her feet as they headed home. "Know what?"

"That Rei was Sailor Mars."

Usagi sighed and looked up at the night sky. "I didn't." She stopped and leaned against the concrete wall in front of the house next to them. "I mean, I did know, but I wasn't aware of knowing that I knew. Wow, that so didn't make sense." She looked down at Luna and pressed a hand to her chest. "Something in me just... _knew_."

"Intuition?"

"No," the blonde replied. "It was more like... I knew her before." She laughed. "But that's crazy, right? I've never met her before in my entire life until today!"

Luna opened her mouth to reply when a male shout was heard, and Usagi turned to face the voice just in time to be crushed into a hug, two strong arms wrapped tightly around her as the familiar cologne invaded her senses.

"Usagi! Where the Hell have you been?! Kami, I've been so worried about you!" Mamoru cried as he squeezed Usagi tighter in relief. "I didn't know what to do after the bus disappeared... if you never came back, I..."

"Shhh," Usagi whispered as Mamoru stifled a sob. "It's okay. I'm alright." She returned the embrace and rested her head against his shoulder. "It's okay, I'm okay, everything's alright now." When Mamoru asked what had happened she relayed the events to him, leaving out one very important detail about her identity as Sailor Moon. He breathed a sigh of relief and loosened his grip slightly.

"Thank God," he whispered as he bent his head to rest his cheek atop her head.

"So you've been looking for me all this time?" Usagi enquired, and wished she hadn't asked as she felt his arms tense.

"No," he whispered as he sighed in frustration.

_She sauntered up to him and wrapped an arm around his. "I haven't seen you all day."_

_He pulled his arm away._

_"Yeah, good to see you too... look, I'm a little busy right now."_

_Meiko pouted. "Ma-mo-ru! You never have time for me anymore! Whatever you're doing today can wait!"_

_"No, it can't" he replied briskly as he turned to walk away, "Usagi-"_

_"Usagi! You're going to be with her again?!"_

Usagi's eyes widened as Mamoru recounted what had happened. She had continued to bicker with him about Mamoru and Usagi's friendship. Mamoru didn't even have a chance to explain what had happened.

"And to make things worse, I started getting a headache and said I had to go home and that just annoyed her even more."

Usagi grinned. "You sure it wasn't because of her complaining?" she asked slyly.

"Very funny," he replied, chuckling. "But I... I don't know what to do."

Usagi pulled away from his arms and met his gaze. "Well it's not the best time to be thinking about that. We should probably head home before you start pondering how you're going to make it up to her."

She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the road towards their homes, hearing the upperclassman laugh and beg her to stop walking so quickly. She complied and busied herself with talking about how to best explain their absences to their parents, afraid that if he kept discussing his problems with Meiko that she would reveal what Meiko had said to her before, and what she really thought of his girlfriend.


	15. Chapter 13

Holy mother of… has it really been this long? Gomen! Gomen!

It's sad to realise that to get back into writing you have to read your story over as though it wasn't yours to begin with. So frustrating. Luckily I wrote out how this story was going to play out so I don't forget under circumstances like neglecting it for ages. Circumstances like producing a Revue I honestly thought I wouldn't be capable of finishing this story. But I must push onwards!

* * *

**Please Don't Cry**

**By PazaakGirl**

**Chapter Thirteen – To prove yourself.**

**

* * *

**

It was a quiet and peaceful night, which did little to soothe his brooding mood. Angered at what had happened earlier he growled and kicked a nearby can, the noise ringing through the air like a gunshot. Not satisfied with the result he kicked the nearby lamp post, which only brought a throbbing pain to his foot. He rounded the corner and walked down the side road. Stopping at a park he leaned against the pylon of the gazebo and waited.

It was not long before she appeared before him. And by the look on her face, she was not pleased at all.

"I thought I told you to get rid of her."

"And I had every intention of doing so," he replied curtly.

She scowled. "Do not take that tone with me, Ishioka. You promised me you would take care of her and I expect you to fulfil that promise." Her eyes narrowed. "And what do you mean 'had'? Don't tell me you have come to... _care_ for her?"

The silence and glare in his eyes told her everything and she burst into laughter, void of joy. "You're kidding. You have developed _feelings_ for this girl?" When he did not reply the scowl returned. "She is in my way, Kei. I was ruined yet again by her. If you don't get her out of my way, I can't get what I want."

She turned and began to walk away when he thrust a hand forward and grabbed her arm.

"What about what _I_ want? Did you ever consider that?"

Facing him once again her mouth twisted into a seductive smile. "Quite the stubborn one, aren't you?" Slowly she ran her hands down his chest, reaching lower than what would have been decent. He bit back a groan as she reached closer and her smirk widened.

"What you want, Ishioka, you can get from anyone. But what I want now, I can only get once. This is my only chance, and I will not have some klutzy teenager take it away from me."

* * *

"Goddamit Usagi, give that back!"

Ami sighed and nursed her developing headache as the two Senshi continued to bicker. At the start it seemed like Usagi and Rei were getting along, but as the hours ticked on they started finding several things that bothered each other. They were polar opposites of each other. Rei, who was graceful, spiritual and often serious about how things worked, got easily frustrated with Usagi's carefree, innocent nature. Usagi herself realised that the seemingly serene Miko harboured a fiery temper that she seemed to unleash solely on the odangoed Senshi of the Moon. Her frequent bouts of immaturity and Rei's short fuse often clashed during arguments.

It didn't help that they were both stubborn.

It didn't help that they both had an obsession with Sailor V.

It especially didn't help that Usagi discovered Rei had the lasted volume of manga. The very one she had wanted to buy for the last month and hadn't read.

"Rei-chan just let me finish reading it! You weren't reading it to start with!"

The priestess's eyes flared in severe irritation. "We were supposed to be here to discuss the situation against the Dark Kingdom, not to go pilfering through my manga collection. How on Earth did you manage to last so long by yourself fighting against the enemy with your happy-go-lucky attitude? Be serious about things for a change!"

"Usagi-chan, Rei-chan… stop it," Ami pleaded, hoping that they would stop arguing and they could get to the task at hand. "Usagi, you have a date with Ishioka-san in half an hour. Why don't we finish the discussion we came here to have and then you can meet your boyfriend?"

Said manga reader snorted. "Boyfriend, yeah right. More like Blockhead."

Usagi twitched, trying to temper in control but was seething at the remark. "Don't talk about my _boyfriend_ like that."

"I'll say what I want, thanks," Rei countered. "I don't trust the look of that boy. He's up to no good."

Usagi got to her feet with a huff, growling in irritation. "First Mamoru-kun, now you. Why can't you two just stop and let me have my fun?"

"Because you're irresponsible and you don't take things seriously, not go running off with random boys!"

"I am NOT running off with random boys! Why can't anyone understand this is serious for me?" she yelled back.

"Because you're not serious about anything else!" Rei countered.

"You don't even know me! Don't make stupid assumptions! That's it! I'm out of here!"

Before Rei and Ami could even contemplate what had just happened Usagi was out the door.

* * *

Usagi frowned as she thought back to what had happened at the temple. Her shoulders sagged as she recalled the way she had blown up at Rei. _I really need to do something about my temper. She didn't have to be treated like that… but she was so mean!_

She stopped at the bottom of the steps and sat down. The guilty and rational side of her wanted to go back and apologise, but the emotional part complained about the walk back up the stairs. She had just decided on following Ami's advice and going to prepare for her date when she bumped into someone.

"Oh! I'm sorry – Kei!"

Hey grinned boyishly. "Hi babe," he crooned smoothly. "Want to head off?"

Despite arguing that that their date wasn't for another hour, that she wasn't ready and had to go home, Kei shook his head in disagreement and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, steering her in the opposite direction from her house. Deciding that she at least got to spend extra time with her boyfriend she dropped the previous altercation from her mind.

Suddenly Kei stopped and Usagi became aware of their surroundings; they had walked to the park. She looked up inquisitively and he turned to face her, his arms on her shoulders.

"Usagi… you like me, right? A lot?"

She stared at him in confusion. "What's this about?" Usagi asked. A thought crossed her mind and dread filled her. "You're not breaking up with me, are you? Is there someone else?"

The Juuban High School student chuckled. "Silly bunny, of course not," he placated, but an irritated look crossed his face. "It's just… you want to be around me, right? You want to make me happy?"

"Of course I do, I wouldn't be here now if I didn't."

"Then… could you stop hanging around those two guys? It's really getting on my nerves."

She looked at him with confusion. "What two guys?"

Kei scowled. "The two from the arcade that you're with ALL the time."

Suddenly it clicked.

"Mamoru-kun and Motoki-kun? I can't stop hanging out with them! They're my best friends!"

The protest, however, fell on deaf ears. He continued to rant that they were too close to her and he was afraid one of them would steal her away. If she wanted to be his girlfriend she had to take their relationship seriously and that meant not messing around with other boys. The familiar words caused her to remember the argument earlier at the temple and she snapped back at him.

"This IS serious for me! Don't you dare pick my friends for me! I can hang out with whoever I want to!"

Wrenching herself free from his grasp she ran off, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.

* * *

Three blocks away, two High School students made their way home from the arcade, unaware of the conflict they had caused a small distance away.

"Usagi was captured?"

The raven-haired upperclassman sighed. "Yeah… thankfully Sailor Moon saved her. I don't know what I would have done if she didn't."

Motoki frowned. "But you were there, weren't you? Couldn't you have found a way?"

"No…" Mamoru replied dismally, shaking his head. "Meiko found me before I could do anything." He proceeded to tell his adoptive brother what had transpired and watched as Motoki listened, his green eyes widening as he got further into the explanation.

"Wow," Motoki uttered in disbelief, "I didn't realise Meiko got THAT jealous…"

Mamoru scoffed. "It's not like it hasn't happened be- OOF!"

A massive heap of sailor uniform and blonde hair came barrelling down and almost trampled him to death. If not for his instincts Mamoru would have taken a bad fall. Regaining his composure he looked down to see a familiar hairstyle. "ODANGO? Can you watch where you're going next time?" He was about to continue berating the girl until he felt the wetness on his shirt. He frowned, exchanging looks with his Motoki, who bent down to gently speak to the distraught girl.

"Usagi-chan… what's wrong?"

She sniffled into the upperclassman's shirt. "I… I…"

The image of a smug-looking Juuban High student popped into Mamoru's mind and he growled. "Is it that Ishioka kid? I swear, if he hurt you in any way –"

"No!" Usagi protested, not wanting Mamoru to have another reason to hate him. "It's Rei-chan… she's so terrible to me…"

"Rei-chan?" Motoki questioned. Isn't that the girl you were so enamoured with the other day?"

The fourteen year old girl nodded. "I wanted to be friends with her so badly… but… we have nothing in common! We've just continued to argue about everything we could possible argue about! And… she's always complaining that I'm so flaky and childish, and never taking anything seriously… I don't like people telling me to grow up," she whimpered.

_I feel like I've done too much of that already, _she thought to herself.

"Usagi-chan… I know it probably hurts to hear her say that, but she only means well." Motoki patted her head as the girl's tears continued, the occasional hiccup being heard through the soft cries. "They say the people who care about you the most are the ones that you fight with all the time. I'm sure she's only saying these things because she wants the best for you." Arms surrounded Usagi as she considered those words, and she sighed in comfort. _So warm… he knows just how to make me feel better. _Motoki continued to comfort her, and she could feel her face becoming a little warm. "Why don't you do something for her and show that you are taking things seriously?"

Usagi turned to her childhood friend and smiled softly, nodding. "I will." She giggled when Motoki smiled back.

_Motoki's so nice… wait. If that's Motoki, then who is it that's holding me right now?_

Usagi looked up to see a pair of gorgeous midnight eyes. Mamoru reached down to cup her cheek and wiped the remaining tear streaks from her face.

"Please don't cry, Usagi-chan," Mamoru whispered softly. "It hurts to see you cry like this."

She smiled gently at the words and fell deeper into his embrace, and the raven-haired boy rubbed her back soothingly. It was a while before the trio moved, disturbed by the beeping coming from the young teenager. Usagi's eyes snapped open as she pulled back from Mamoru's arms.

"Usagi… is that a pager?"

"Ah!" She giggled in embarrassment. "Um… that's an alarm! Uh… yeah… you know how I've been so forgetful lately… I just remembered I had to meet someone!" And before the high school students could utter a word Usagi had raced off, her hand fishing for the communicator that was shrilling in her bag.

Unbeknownst to them, however, glaring at them from across the road was a pair of brown eyes, narrowing at the two left standing on the sidewalk looking at each other in confusion.

"It can't be," Kei muttered to himself, "She really would rather be with them than me?"

"_I thought I told you to get rid of her."_

"_Don't tell me you have come to... care for her?"_

He roared in frustration and cursed the two across the street from him. Turning down the street he seethed as he comtemplated his predicament. Stopping at a closed-down store, he stared into his angry gaze.

"_What about what I want? Did you ever consider that?"_

He shut his eyes and tried to stop the sounds of the bubbly teenager's laughter echoing in his head, only to be replaced by the sight of her in Mamoru's arms.

He was failing. He thought the one thing he wanted was so close to becoming his, and it continued to slip from his hands.

Another voice echoed in his mind again.

"_What you want, Ishioka, you can get from anyone. But what I want now, I can only get once. This is my only chance, and I will not have some klutzy teenager take it away from me."_

A window of a closed down store shattered as he ran his fist through it, ignoring the throbbing from his hand. The only pain he felt was the one in his heart and mind.

He was tired of playing this game.

* * *

Sailor Moon ran to the amusement park as quickly as she could. The sounds of the battle and flashes of red flame could be seen as she approached the site. Determined to get there before the youma did too much damage, she summoned a burst of energy that carried her across the roof tops of Tokyo.

Sailor Mars dodged yet another horse. The youma was telekinetically moving the rides from the carousel and throwing them towards Mercury and herself. She could see the blue-haired senshi tiring out, and she was losing her stamina too.

A flash of blue and gold could be seen in the corner of her eye and the fiery senshi turned around to see Sailor Moon shatter a horse with her tiara.

"Usagi! You're late!"

"I'm sorry, I was on the other side of town!" replied the leader as she dodged another horse, letting it crash into the wall behind her. She stared at the youma controlling the rides, a mixture of disgust and amusement filling her at the sight of the most revealing clown she had ever seen. Yelping as she narrowly avoided a bumper car, she turned to Mercury. "Where's the weak spot?"

Mercury panted as she jumped over the bumper car, which turned to her direction. "I'm trying to find out…!" As she typed away her two partners continued to destroy the carousel horses.

Beeps could be heard from her computer and she glanced at the screen. "It's her nose!"

"Oh, of course it's the big red nose," Mars remarked sarcastically. "Odango! Hurry up and kill that thing!"

"I'm trying!"

"Well try harder! If you got here sooner Mercury and I wouldn't have been so exhausted!"

Sighing in frustration, Usagi took off her tiara and charged it up, ready to fire at the youma, when a tingling at the back of her mind distracted her.

_What… was that?_

Mars' scream echoed in her mind and she turned around to see a horse charging at the Senshi of fire from behind.

"REI-CHAN!"

The person in question gasped as Sailor Moon was hit by the horse intended for her. Usagi moaned as she hit the ground hard and skidded painfully across the asphalt, her abdomen sustaining a painful bruise and several grazes along her back starting to bleed. She winced as she tried to get up and threw the tiara at the horse, breaking through the ride and ripping through the smug-looking youma's nose. The clown exploded in a flash of dust and her tiara fell to the ground. Seeing that the threat was gone she closed her eyes as the Senshi of the Moon collapsed into a heap of pain. She felt two arms catch her and Usagi flinched at the touch.

"BAKA!" Mars shouted at her, trying to ease her onto the floor. "WHY DID YOU SAVE ME? YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED THE YOUMA FIRST!"

Something wet fell on her face. Usagi glanced at the girl above her and noticed tears in her eyes.

"You almost got yourself killed!"

"But I'm alive aren't I?" Usagi questioned cheekily, wincing slightly at the pain. "Takes more than a measly carousel to get rid of me. Besides, you think I wouldn't be upset if something happened to you? Your life is important as well. Now who's being irresponsible?"

Rei's eyes widened as she sobbed and knocked Usagi slightly on the head. The blonde closed her eyes again as she felt more tears fall on her face.

"Baka, Usagi."

* * *

I don't particularly like how I ended this, but I needed to get over this hurdle to get to the exciting chapter that's to come ^^ It's been a long time coming, but now I'm back on track! (Until exams, which is VERY SOON!)


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